Baker Mayfield Playing Through Torn Labrum, Isn't Using It As An Excuse

Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield might be playing through a partially torn labrum, but that doesn't mean he has an excuse for his poor play.

That comes from Mayfield himself, who took to Instagram on Wednesday to take responsibility for his past performances. Mayfield led the Browns to a 14-7 win over the Vikings on Sunday, albeit an unimpressive showing from Mayfield and the Browns offense. Mayfield was not sharp, completing just 15-of-33 attempts for 155 yards and no touchdowns or turnovers.

Mayfield previously called out his own play after the game on Sunday, before praising the defense and the efforts of running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt to carry Cleveland to a victory.

“That piss-poor performance by me isn’t going to cut it,” Mayfield said. “I’ve got to be better. It’s just that simple. Just didn’t get into a rhythm. A lot of easy throws there I missed. I pride myself on being extremely accurate. And today I don’t know what the hell that was.”

Week 4, however, wasn't the only occasion this year that Mayfield's play wasn't up to snuff. During a high-profile showdown with the Chiefs during Week 1, Mayfield was playing the best ball of his career, before one throw changed everything.

Down 33-29 with 1:16 to play in the 4th quarter, Mayfield attempted to heave one out of bounds, but came up short on his throw. The pass instead held up in play and was picked off by safety Daniel Sorensen, icing the game to give the Browns their lone loss on the season.

Mayfield's inconsistency continues to be an enigma, but his heart can never be challenged. He is set to forge ahead and play despite the partially torn labrum on his left shoulder. Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt spoke to the media after practice today and said they aren't concerned with Mayfield's shoulder affecting his play.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski echoed the same sentiment after the game on Sunday, saying he has all the confidence in the world that Mayfield will bounce back.

"You can always point your finger at a few things, but we missed a couple of guys, and we are going to work really hard to make sure we hit them this week," he said. "I have seen Baker have great success in games, and I have no doubt that we will work at it this week."