If anyone in the NFL is believed to be seeking out revenge this Sunday, it’s Carolina Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield. But that’s not what he would tell you.
Just a few days ahead of the 2022 season opener against his last employer, Mayfield was asked if he views his clash with the Cleveland Browns as a “revenge game.” He does not.
“No. I’m grateful for the time I had in Cleveland,” he said on Wednesday. “You know, obviously, like I’ve mentioned multiple times—it ended abruptly and unexpectedly. But we’re here now. Everything happens for a reason and I’m rollin’ with the punches. And like I’ve said, I’m happy to be a Panther.”
That abrupt and unexpected end saw the Browns ship their former No. 1 overall pick away for a conditional piece of 2024 draft compensation. Cleveland moved on from the man who helped lead them to their first playoff win in nearly three decades after making a historically heavy investment into their new quarterback, Deshaun Watson.
So if Mayfield isn’t looking for revenge this weekend, then what is he looking for . . . ?
“A big hug from Nicholas Chubb would be a really, really good gift,” he said when asked if he’s excited to embrace his old teammates on the field. “Just to hear him say a word would also be nice . . . the mime that he is.”
Perhaps Mayfield (and Chubb) will save their words for when the game actually starts.
