Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield is a polarizing figure inside and outside of Cleveland.
It seems as though fans either love him or hate him; there is no in-between.
Here are four reasons why Mayfield is a polarizing player.
4. Has Charisma
Mayfield has a sense of humor and charisma that rubs some people the wrong way.
Last season at some postgame press conferences he interjected phrases and rap songs into his comments.
#Browns Baker Mayfield: "Real Gs move in silence like lasagna."
— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) November 15, 2020
Naturally some will be amused by this while others will not.
Nothing about Mayfield is boring, and he seems unconcerned about what people say or think about his personality.
He got many mixed and interesting responses after his Twitter declaration that he and his wife Emily believed they spotted a UFO during this offseason.
3. Was Immature
Like most college players, Mayfield entered the NFL as an immature player and person.
His actions were amplified because he was the Heisman Trophy winner and first overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft.
He made questionable choices in the past including the infamous beer chugging moment at the Cleveland Indians game.
Twitter Reacts to Baker Mayfield Chugging a Beer Stone Cold Steve Austin Style at Indians Game (Vid-Tweets) https://t.co/7g5YGlPv5d pic.twitter.com/QCHNCGiXuD
— Robert Littal BSO (@BSO) August 4, 2019
Mayfield needed time to grow into his role as the leader of the Browns.
Though he is definitely more mature now, his past antics (including the flag incident at Oklahoma) still follow him.
Baker Mayfield planting the Oklahoma flag in the middle of the Ohio State O at the Horseshoe is as savage as it gets. pic.twitter.com/PrtgtUvmzL
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) September 10, 2017
2. Has Had Mixed Results In NFL
Here is Mayfield’s biggest hurdle.
He has been inconsistent in his three seasons in the NFL.
To be clear, that is not all his fault.
The Browns were a broken franchise that Mayfield somehow managed to have some rookie success with.
Baker Mayfield by year:
2018: 3725 yards 27 TDs
2019: 3827 yards 22 TDs
2020: 3563 yards 26 TDSWill he have over 30 TD’s in 2021? pic.twitter.com/zRg1os3LWE
— NFL Memes (@nflmemer) May 30, 2021
After a miserable 2019 where Mayfield threw a career high 21 interceptions and yet another coaching change, it seems the tide is turning.
Mayfield had four coaches in three years and multiple offensive playbooks to learn.
On top of that, he did not have a stellar offensive line until 2020.
2020 was the best year of his career in terms of accuracy and leading the team; he threw only eight interceptions.
However, it is never enough for his critics.
They believe he is not capable of leading the Browns to a Super Bowl and say that he could be one of the deterrents of a successful 2021 Browns campaign.
Among his worst critics is Colin Cowherd of FS1.
He regularly lambasts Mayfield for everything from his game to how he wears his hat.
1. Burden Of Being First Overall Pick
A lot of the criticism that surrounds Mayfield is because he is both outspoken and was the first overall pick.
For the past four years, the first overall pick has been a quarterback.
Besides Mayfield, the other number one picks are Kyler Murray, Joe Burrow, and Trevor Lawrence.
Those other three seem a little more measured and reserved in their comments so they tend to garner less criticism.
As for Burrow, his ability and game have not been questioned like Mayfield’s has, and he did not even complete his rookie season with the Cincinnati Bengals without being injured.
Though Mayfield is not a replica of New York Jets legend and Super Bowl Champion Joe Namath, it appears Mayfield’s swagger and demeanor are similar.
Like Mayfield, Namath also rubbed people the wrong way.
Maybe being a polarizing figure is not a bad thing as long as Mayfield backs it up with victories.
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