The Browns are well aware that their teammate-turned opponent Baker Mayfield said, “I’m going to fuck them up” in preparation for the Week One Panthers-Browns game.
Browns defensive end Myles Garrett told Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com that he’s fine with Mayfield saying whatever he wants to say -- and that the Browns can get just as fired up about their meeting as Mayfield is.
“We’ll take it and we’ll use it, and I’m hoping for a great matchup,” Garrett said. “I don’t think any less of him because he’s going out there and doing the same thing he did when he was with us. He’s the same guy personally, and maybe we’ll see a different Baker when we get on the field. Who knows?”
Garrett said he respects Mayfield, who went to the Browns with the first overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, one year after Garrett went to the Browns first overall.
“We’ve known he has that type of demeanor and that attitude, and for better or for worse, it works for him,” Garrett said. “And I’m not mad at him using that fire and that chip on his shoulder to help him play to the level he has. He’s been successful in what he’s done.’’
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski was less interested in talking about Mayfield.
“I’m not going to get involved in that type of thing,” Stefanski said. “As you know, it’s Carolina week. I get how unique it is that Baker is the starting quarterback for the Panthers. We’re really going to focus on putting a plan together to beat the Panthers. That is really the focus.”
Stefanski said he won’t be posting Mayfield’s comments on the bulletin board. He may not need to, as Garrett and his teammates have already heard.
