Browns coach Kevin Stefanski has not been around Cleveland long, but he’s been in town long enough to know how to snuff out any media-driven quarterback controversy before it starts. Coach Stefanski made it clear Baker Mayfield is the Browns starting quarterback, period.
“Baker will start as long as he’s healthy, and I think he will be,” Stefanski said after Sunday’s 38-7 loss to Pittsburgh.
Mayfield was pulled from the game in the second half after taking several big hits while also playing poorly. The coach emphasized the decision to pull Mayfield was done for the QB’s physical well-being. Mayfield entered the game questionable with a rib injury and took several big shots from the Steelers overpowering defensive front.
“I just didn’t want to see him get hit one more time, and I put that on myself,” Stefanski said. “Went into this game knowing we had to keep him clean, and we did not do a good enough job, so that that starts with me obviously. He’s a very, very tough player and I know he wants to fight, but it’s a long season, we have a game next week and I did not feel like it was the right thing to put him back out there.”
The rookie coach shouldered the blame for the inept performance by both Mayfield and the entire offense several times in his postgame press conference.
Cleveland heads to Cincinnati for a rematch with the Bengals in Week 7. The Browns won 35-30 over the Bengals in Week 2 with Mayfield efficiently throwing two TDs and accruing a QB Rating of 110.6 in the win.
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