Baker Mayfield’s recent comments about his former coach Kevin Stefanski have not been well-received by a Browns legend.
Shortly after Mayfield mentioned that Stefanski hadn’t reached out to him following his messy departure from the Browns in 2022, Joe Thomas, a Hall of Fame tackle who played in Cleveland for 11 years, questioned why Mayfield hadn’t taken the initiative to call or text Stefanski himself.
“I could be mistaken, but I think communication is a two-way street. There wasn’t any rule stopping you (Baker) from reaching out to Stefanski after your trade,” Thomas posted on Wednesday.
Mayfield was the Browns’ top pick in 2018 and worked under Stefanski, who became head coach in 2020. During Stefanski’s first season, the team achieved an 11-5 record and made the playoffs, but the following year saw the Browns fall short at 8-9.
In March 2022, the Browns shifted quarterbacks, trading for Deshaun Watson and giving him a fully guaranteed five-year contract worth $230 million. Mayfield was then traded to the Panthers that July—left without a spot, so to speak, when the music stopped.
He subsequently joined the Rams late in the 2022 season before signing with his hometown team, the Buccaneers, for 2023.
Stefanski, on the other hand, ended his time in Cleveland this month after a disappointing 5-12 season marked by inconsistent quarterback play. Mayfield’s initial comments were sparked by a discussion about the new Falcons coach.
In response to a comment suggesting Stefanski “started a dumpster fire” with Cleveland’s quarterbacks, Mayfield expressed his discontent, indicating that he was still waiting for a message from the coach after being traded.
“I’m still waiting for a text or a call from him after I was shipped off like trash. Looking forward to our two encounters each season, coach,” he remarked.
Stefanski accepted a position with the Falcons recently. This season, the NFC South was unusually competitive, with the Falcons, Panthers, and Mayfield’s Buccaneers all ending their seasons at 8-9. The Panthers advanced in the playoffs, winning the tiebreaker but losing in the wild card round.
