Baker Mayfield is one of the most exciting young players in the NFL and in just his rookie year, he was able to make the Cleveland Browns a playoff contender, against all odds. The team finished the season with a record of 7-8-1 and excelled once they parted ways with head coach Hue Jackson, who was seen as a bit of a goof when it came to coaching. Immediately after his dismissal, Jackson ended up joining the Cincinnati Bengals as an assistant coach. This didn't sit well with Mayfield considering the Bengals are one of their biggest rivals in the AFC North division.
In a new ESPN profile written by Mina Kimes, Baker admits to wanting revenge against his former coach. This manifested itself in a 35-20 victory against the Bengals late in the season, which also included a scathing stare down.
"I’m not gonna lie to you and say that the first time I played Hue did not feel good," Mayfield explained. "It’s human nature to want to get revenge."
After Jackson's decision to go to Cincinnati, Mayfield called him "fake" which led to some criticism of the QB. Regardless, Mayfield stands behind what he said and would do it all over again.
"I said what I meant," Mayfield said. "Don’t stand up in front of us the week before and try to tell us you’re doing everything for us, then go take a job with a team we play twice a year. It was one of those honesty and respect things."
