Bucs assistant on Baker Mayfield's past with Browns: 'They had the guy and they gave him up'
NFL.com • • sports
Key Points:
- Baker Mayfield will face the Cleveland Browns for the second time since his 2022 departure, this time against a Browns team led by quarterback Deshaun Watson, whose pursuit by Cleveland prompted Mayfield's trade request.
- Mayfield led the Browns to their most successful period from 2018-2021, including their first playoff win since 1994, but a shoulder injury in 2021 and Cleveland's interest in Watson led to a fractured relationship and Mayfield's trade to Carolina.
- Despite Mayfield's struggles in Carolina, his career revived with the Los Angeles Rams and later the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he has won two NFC South titles and signed a lucrative extension.
- Former Browns coaches and teammates acknowledge Mayfield's contributions and express regret over the Browns' decision to pursue Watson, with some describing the breakdown between Mayfield and the organization as irreparable.
- Sunday's game in Tampa offers Mayfield a chance for redemption against his former team, while Browns fans brace for the matchup with mixed emotions.
