Cleveland is hoping that the Kevin Stefanski era will go better than the one season of Freddie Kitchens. The Browns finished 6-10 and in third place in the AFC North.
Finishing near the bottom of the division is nothing new for the Browns. What was new is the expectations they had going into the season. An offseason trade for Odell Beckham Jr. made the NFL world think that the Browns were contenders. Apparently adding another losing player to a poor franchise was not the answer.
It did not help that Baker Mayfield was a disaster since Week 1. A three-interception game in a 43-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans set the tone for the former No. 1 overall pick. Here are the two biggest aspects of the 2019 season from Mayfield.
2. Failed expectations
For the first time in what feels like 50 years, the Browns came into a season with high hopes. This was partially because of Mayfield who was supposed to take the next step. There were even talks of him winning the league's MVP award.
Mayfield threw for 3,827 yards with 22 touchdowns and 21 interceptions. He completed 59.4% of his passes and actually looked worse in year two. The Browns had a lot go wrong last season. Their defense was shaky and their offensive line did not hold up. And of course, who can forget Myles Garrett swinging a helmet at Mason Rudolph?
This was another disappointing campaign for the Browns but this one felt different. It was not like the others because the team did not reach any expectations and it began with Mayfield.
1. Media presence
Some people like Mayfield and some do not. Some people defend his antics with the media while some cannot stand them. Neither of these points matter. The bottom line is that professional athletes are required to speak to the media so they can get information to the public.
During interviews and press conferences, players are asked difficult questions. Mayfield is not the only athlete who gets criticism thrown his way in interviews. Some athletes can handle those questions with class and poise. Mayfield is not one of those athletes. He walked out of press conferences many times because he was upset with a question.
This is not to say that athletes have to be robots and cannot have emotions, but it must be done behind closed doors. A quarterback is expected to be the leader of the team and the franchise on and off the field. Cleveland should not feel too good at the moment about their leader.
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