QB Baker Mayfield (10.27.21)
On if he will practice this week and possibly play on Sunday:
“Similar to last week, see what I can do, and take it day by day.”
On if the time off has helped the swelling in his left, non-throwing shoulder heal:
“It definitely did. A noticeable difference in range of motion and strength. Like I said, take it day by day, and see where we are.”
On how last week’s game being on Thursday night affected whether he could play or not and if he could have potentially played if the game was on Sunday:
“It was on a Thursday so we could go into the ‘what ifs,’ but the fact is it was on a Thursday so I was not able to go.”
On if his shoulder bothered him during or after practice on Tuesday last week:
“I think it was a little bit of both. I said it last week, if I feel like I am not able to be close to 100 percent and be able to help this team and if I am in a situation where I am going to hurt the team, I am not going to go. That is where we were, and that is what we evaluated.”
On FOX’s Jay Glazer’s report on Thursday about his shoulder injury:
“He was asking me, and it was just definitely a little bit different hit than the Arizona game and different falls. It was just different. It was not the same at all.”
On if there is a different pain related to the bone compared to the labrum:
“Yeah. Yeah.”
On Glazer’s report stating the fracture needs to heal before feeling comfortable and if the fracture could potential heal within a matter of days:
“I am not exactly a doctor. I do not know how long it takes for those things to heal, but it was mostly about the inflammation so I can get that range of motion and that strength back. That is where we are, and that is what we are continuing to evaluate.”
On if he is worried about potentially making the situation with the bone worse if he ‘gets out there too quickly’:
“No.”
On if playing Sunday is a possibility:
“Absolutely.”
On if he has discussed potentially not playing the remainder of the season due to the shoulder injury, given conversations in the general public and media:
“No. People talk on the outside. They do not know how I feel nor do they decide whether I can go or not.”
On if he expects to have surgery on the shoulder at some point, even if it occurs after the season:
“I am still taking it day by day to be honest with you because you can do certain things to repair the stuff inside the rotator cuff and strengthen it up. If you examine a lot of people’s shoulders, you will see a lot of partial tears in those labrums. You can do things to, I guess, help with that. We will evaluate that when the time needs.”
On clarifying if it is a foregone conclusion that he will need to have surgery at some point:
“No, and I do not think that anybody else has the knowledge to be able to do that either.”
On if the medical professionals he has talked with have said that he will ultimately need surgery:
“No, they are always, ‘if we have to do this.’ Then we talked about who to possibly go through, but that is down the road.”
On clarifying an answer to a previous question and if he said that playing and getting hit would not potentially make his injury worse:
“No, he asked if I was worried about that, and I said no.”
On his confidence in his ability to finish the season if he returns during Week 8 or Week 9:
“I am completely confident in that. If you go out there, you are scared and you are timid, that is how you really get hurt seriously. I can’t do that. Like I said, trying to get the strength back and be able to go as close to 100 percent as possible. If that is not the case, then we trust the guys we have out there. You guys saw that. We came out with the win with kind of a manufactured team, and (QB) Case (Keenum) did a great job.”
On if there is a specific number of reps in practice that he will need this week to determine whether or not he can play or if the decision could come down to Friday afternoon to make a decision:
“There is not a certain number of reps I specifically need. You saw last week that Case on a short week got very minimum reps, as well, and did absolutely great. I think there are a lot of ‘what ifs,’ but we are just going not take it day by day.”
On playing with the shoulder injury prior to the Cardinals game, if he felt comfortable dealing with the pain as he had before prior to getting hit again in that matchup and if he believes he can get back to that point:
“Yeah, I would expect to come back stronger, be able to get back to the little fundamentals that I have to and just deal with it. I expect completely to come back.”
On the Browns’ emphasis on running the ball, including him, and how that is impacted by his injury:
“Just protect myself and slide when I need to.”
On if his range of motion is the biggest factor with the shoulder injury, in addition to the pain:
“No, I think that has been the biggest difference of playing that Thursday game and having that weekend off of being able to get all of that down and do all of the rehab I need to do that. On a short week, the inflammation was pretty severe. I was able to do that, and now, it is getting the strength back.”
On one week of rest being beneficial and if three weeks would be better, including potentially being placed on injured reserve:
“Three is greater than one so yes (laughter). I am not looking at that. I am looking at taking it day by day. I think you guys know how I am. I want to be out there playing. Like I said last week, if it is a situation where I would hurt the team if I was out there playing, I am not going to do it.”
On how important his streak of consecutive starts was to him:
“For me, it was pretty important just because of looking at all of the disfunction that I had to overcome to be able to start the whole time, to stay healthy and do all of that. That was very important to me, but that is an individual thing and it is more about winning than anything. We did just that last week and trying to do the same this week.”
On if it is difficult to balance the desire to play with the long term and assessing the injury daily or weekly:
“I would say yes because that was the first game that I missed in eight years. Before that, I missed three total games in my life. Yeah, that was a tough decision because that is just not something I am about – I am not about missing practice or playing time. It is a long-term picture, and that is what everybody and the devil’s advocate other than my mindset. It is good to hear both sides and just evaluate it.”
On a report that he had to be ‘forced’ to not play last week and insight to his conversations about his status:
“I think they were definitely advising not to play. I think I was a little bit… I for sure wanted to. I thought I was going to be able to, but it got to the point after practice on Tuesday last week that I was just not able to do the things that I needed to and made that decision.”
On how tough it was to be on the sidelines and not playing on Thursday night:
“It is not tough when you are winning. It is pretty fun to watch these guys play and play for each other. The way those guys fought, it was a good team win. That is what it is about. It is finding ways to win no matter what it is, especially on a short week with limited guys and just plug and play guys. To watch them succeed, that is why you see the energy and you see guys fighting for each other and the excitement when guys like (RB) D’Ernest (Johnson) or (FB) Johnny Stanton (IV) score. That is what it is about. That is what this team is about. That is why I continue to say trust the guys in this locker room. I love this locker room because of that. You see that on display.”
On the potential for all five of the Browns starting OL members to play together again this week:
“That would be great obviously, but if you look at the last time we played the Steelers – the last two times – we have had makeshift starters and different guys plug and play so I trust those guys no matter who is in there. That is just the way we are, and that is how I am going to operate. I am going to try and do the best I can to get back to 100 percent, and those guys have to do the same. That is just what we expect.”
On how much confidence the Browns gained with the wins over the Steelers last season, given the recent record against the team:
“I think that was big because division opponent, the Steelers, they have been the face of the division for a while. It is just always a physical game. You saw that physical battle, and you saw the running game of what that was and flashes of our potential, but none of that carries over into this year. It gave us confidence last year, but we have to had to hit the reset button because we are sitting here at 4-3.”
On if there is a rivalry feel to the Steelers matchup or if it is just another game:
“It is definitely a division rivalry. I think you hear more about within the fans and the community than anything. When you play the same guys over and over again, it tends to be like that, but it is just another good opponent and great challenge for us.”
On Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger’s career:
“I think he has had an unbelievable career. Obviously, the dealing with injuries, but his ball placement and his ability to extend plays, I think he is a tremendous player and he has been able to lead that franchise for a long, long time. I think he is a great player.”
On if Steelers S Minkah Fitzpatrick and T.J. Watt are the first players the team looks for at the line of scrimmage:
“And that large human being No. 97 (Steelers DT Cameron Heyward) in the middle, yeah. They are game-changers so those are the guys you try and neutralize and make sure they are not wrecking the game.”
On what he wants people to know about Julius Jones’ case in Oklahoma and why that is an important issue to him:
“That goes back to the social injustice movement and the whole league and the Browns got behind [it] last year. Specifically, my cause last year was to help Julius out and try and get the truth out there to spread that and spread knowledge and awareness. Just continue to do that. That is a case that within the state of Oklahoma obviously I have a lot of ties in the area there that I wanted to be a part of because I am passionate about that and giving back to that state.”
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