NFL Network Show Predicts Bounceback as Baker Mayfield Gets 'Back to the Fundamentals'
Former Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield’s insistence last week that he would be “moving in silence” from now on was well-received by the NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” crew.
“That’s how I used to do it before getting on a bigger stage,” Mayfield said last week on a video conference call from his home in Austin.
“I’m happy to get back to those roots, and get back to the fundamentals so I can accomplish the goals when the season comes around.”
Mayfield’s second season with the Cleveland Browns saw a precipitous drop in his productivity, efficiency and win total. Many believe Mayfield became distracted by the entrapments of fame and fortune, and he said getting back to football is paramount to becoming a player worthy of the No. 1 overall pick.
“He’s gonna have to adjust,” said GMFB co-host and former NFL player Nate Burleson. “We all love the energy that Baker Mayfield plays with, even some of the stuff he does off the field, the trash talk, the bravado. But when you’re not winning, it just doesn’t come across the same. More importantly, it’s just not sustainable.”
Co-host and former NFL player Shaun O’Hara said, “It’s not good when you have more commercials than (wins).”
Co-host Peter Schrager agreed with Burleson that Mayfield would need to find a balance.
“One of the reasons he was drafted first overall was because the Browns loved his swagger and loved his leadership,” Schrager said. “The NFL did its 100th year celebration — could have chosen any player in the league to do a segment with Tom Brady for that commercial. They flew Baker to Boston to do it with Tom Brady, putting him that room at 23 years old.
“We in the media … are just (as much) to blame as Baker himself. I don’t know many young individuals who would say, ‘No, I don’t want to be the face of Progressive Insurance and I don’t want to be paid x-amount of dollars to have commercials on for 35 million people every week.’ That’s a hard thing to say no to, and I don’t know many who would out of the gate.”
"BAKER MAYFIELD GETS A BEVERAGE"
“After a while,” Burleson said, “you have to realize, what’s more important? Is it closing the curtains and working behind the scenes when nobody’s looking and then letting your actions speak for you? Or talking to every microphone somebody shoves in front of your face? I think Baker Mayfield is learning from his first couple years in the league.”
Schrager predicts that Mayfield is “gonna be greatly improved this season” — partly because he has a creative new head coach in Kevin Stefanski, but partly because of “this humble approach.”
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