Did Baker Mayfield throw shade at Odell Beckham Jr. after Browns win?

After their Week 9 win, Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield offered a telling quote to media that may have been directed at Odell Beckham Jr. 

The Cleveland Browns have undergone a lot lately, with a media circus circling the team after Odell Beckham Jr.’s dissatisfaction with the team became widely known.

With the Browns set to release OBJ, Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield rallied his troops for a rousing 41-16 win over their in-state AFC North rival, the Cincinnati Bengals.

It was inspiring performance after the Browns had dealt with internal strife and external criticism, one that Mayfield wanted to commend his teammates for.

But did Mayfield call out his former teammate in his post-game presser? It could potentially be interpreted that way from what he said following the game.

“I’m proud of these guys how they were able to focus up despite all the bulls*** that was going on this week and how they were able to do their job,” Mayfield said after the game. “That’s why I appreciate this group of guys and the staff that we have, so we’re going to see if we can build on it and continue to get better.”

While Mayfield’s quote is overwhelmingly positive in supporting his teammates, the “bull****” that the team went through over the past week was indistinguishably about Beckham Jr. and the controversy he created.

But this quote followed Mayfield’s vocal support for Beckham Jr. as he wished him well in future endeavors.

“My feelings haven’t changed. I wish him well,” Mayfield said. “From a personal standpoint, he’s a good friend of mine. We still haven’t talked, but that doesn’t change things. I wish him well. I wish him the best in his career, but I’m worried about the guys in our locker room.”

Baker Mayfield comments on OBJ locker room situation

While Mayfield clarified that he meant no ill will to Beckham Jr. personally, Beckham Jr.’s actions affected the rest of his teammates as they prepared for their Week 9 game. Not only was Beckham Jr. removed from the offense and the team’s gameplan, but teammates were also losing a friend in the process. When Beckham Jr. joined the Browns, he reunited with close friend and former LSU teammate Jarvis Landry.

As a quarterback, Mayfield’s job is to rally his team together and motivate them to win, and asking that they ignore distractions is how the most successful teams win — just look at the tight-lipped New England Patriots.

Even though he referred to it as “bull****”, at the end of the day, players need to block out whatever distractions are surrounding their team — even if it means blocking out what’s happening with their friend and former teammate.