Baker Mayfield Continues To Win His Football Divorce
Credit: Jeremy Reper-USA TODAY Sports
The NFL has seen its fair share of messy, high-profile divorces. From Tom Brady and Bill Belichick’s cold breakup to Aaron Rodgers’ strained exit from Green Bay, it’s become almost routine to watch big stars and franchises part ways under the harsh spotlight of the media.
But this isn’t that…
This isn’t even Kristin Cavallari and Jay Cutler.
When Baker Mayfield and the Browns split, no one seemed to give it much thought. The general consensus was that Cleveland made the obvious move, replacing the fiery but inconsistent Mayfield with the presumably “elite” Deshaun Watson. Three first-round picks, $230 million guaranteed, and a boatload of expectations later, that “obvious” decision is starting to look like a costly miscalculation.
Let’s be real — Baker Mayfield is out here winning the breakup, and it’s not even close.
When Mayfield was unceremoniously shipped off to the Carolina Panthers in 2022, it was the ugly end of a rocky relationship. The Browns, frustrated by Baker’s inconsistency and injury struggles, went all-in on Watson. The thinking was clear: a top-tier quarterback like Watson could be the missing piece that propels the Browns into the Super Bowl conversation. Fast-forward to today, and it looks like a laughable deal with the devil.
Mayfield, on the other hand? He’s thriving, and the narrative around him has completely shifted. Not only has he found a way to lead his team to the playoffs, but he’s doing it on an affordable deal. He’s not just a placeholder anymore; he’s a quarterback proving himself week after week.
His performance in Week 1 was a perfect snapshot of what could have been in Cleveland. Mayfield looked sharp, confident, and, most importantly, in control of his offense. He’s got his swagger back — the kind of confidence that comes when you wake up “feeling dangerous.” Now, with the understanding that it’s only Week 1 and there’s a lot of season to go, it seems like Baker’s abilities have finally caught up with his moxie.
And then, there’s Watson.
Even before the Cowboys demolished the Browns Sunday, Watson’s stint in Cleveland has been nothing short of disastrous. He’s played a grand total of 13 games over three seasons, and his on-field performance has been underwhelming, to say the least. Sure, he started 2023 with a 5-1 record, but injuries — including a shoulder that required season-ending surgery — kept him off the field for most of the year.
And when he’s been on the field? Let’s just say Browns fans aren’t exactly thrilled. His Week 1 performance against Dallas this season was downright brutal, with Watson struggling to find any rhythm. We’ll leave it to Defector’s Samer Kalaf, who said on Monday:
Just as it was appalling to watch the Cleveland Browns mortgage everything for a complete creep, it’s satisfying to watch them experience the worst-case scenario… Watson was absolutely dreadful throughout Cleveland’s 33-17 loss. He was sacked six times and threw two interceptions… Even his non-tipped passes sucked.
On top of the lackluster play, Watson is once again facing serious allegations. A new lawsuit was filed on Tuesday, accusing him of sexual assault and battery during a 2020 incident. This comes after the previous storm of lawsuits and settlements that led to his 11-game suspension and $5 million fine two seasons ago. It’s a PR nightmare for the Browns, a franchise that gave up a king’s ransom to bring in Watson, only to be left dealing with his ongoing off-field issues and subpar performance.
And let’s talk about those contracts. While Baker’s playing on a modest, team-friendly deal, Watson’s $230 million fully guaranteed contract looms large over Cleveland’s future. That kind of money for a quarterback who’s struggling to find his old form and is constantly embroiled in legal battles? It’s shaping up to be the worst football, financial, and moral decision in NFL history.
In an alternative universe world, the Browns would have held onto a quarterback who’d lead them to the playoffs and make headlines for all the right reasons. Instead, Mayfield is the one doing just that for a franchise that made an excellent decision, while Cleveland is stuck with a costly, controversial quarterback whose best days are almost certainly behind him.
It’s rain-on-your-wedding-day levels of ironic, isn’t it? The guy everyone thought was done, washed up, and a bad fit? He’s the one proving everyone wrong. And as for Watson? He’s become the nightmare version of what their uncharitable evaluation of Mayfield, and it looks like he might just sink the Browns.
If you had asked anyone back in 2022 who would win this “divorce,” few would have picked the Carolina-bound Mayfield over the Super Bowl-contending Browns. Now? He’s running away with it, and Cleveland is left to pick up the pieces.
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