Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield will remain the starter despite being benched with a minute left in the third quarter of Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Having entered the match dealing with the aftereffects of a chest injury, Mayfield completed 10-of-18 pass attempts. However, he gained only 119-yards and threw two interceptions, as the Browns quickly fell behind the Steelers, 31-7.

Though Baker's performance was not the one Cleveland hoped for in seeking to improve to 5-1 on the season, the decision to remove the second year QB had less to do with his play. Apparently, the Browns made the decision in order to protect the young play-caller from further injury.

“I just did not want to see him get hit one more time, and I put that on myself,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said, via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “Went into this game knowing we had to keep him clean, and we did not do a good enough job so that that starts with me obviously. He is a very, very tough player and I know he wants to fight, but it is a long season, we have a game next week and I did not feel like it was the right thing to put him back out there.”

Though the Browns' offensive line has been one of the key drivers of the early season success for the often maligned Cleveland squad, they were thoroughly outplayed Sunday, surrendering four sacks on Mayfield and generating a season low of 75 rushing yards.

Baker Mayfield and the Browns will have another opportunity to gain their fifth win next Sunday against the 1-4-1 Cincinnati Bengals.