Baker Mayfield continued ingratiating himself to Ohio sports fans over the weekend by shot-gunning a beer at a Cleveland Indians game. Perhaps inspired by the palpable buzz at Progressive Field following Mayfield's chug, the Indians ran off five runs on the Los Angeles Angeles in the next half inning, breaking a scoreless tie to finish with an easy 7-2 victory.
Needless to say, Freddie Kitchens is counting on his quarterback to consistently provide the Cleveland Browns with a similar jolt of energy on the football field this season. The Browns' rookie head coach, in fact, praised Mayfield for his beer-drinking exploits rather than chastising him for having some fun in the midst of training camp.
#Browns coach Freddie Kitchens said Baker Mayfield’s beer-drinking stunt at Indians game was “impressive.” Freddie said he’s never bitten a beer can open because he’d be worried about his teeth.
— Nate Ulrich (@ByNateUlrich) August 5, 2019
Mayfield, the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft, spent the first three games of his rookie campaign backing up journeyman Tyrod Taylor. He took over as Cleveland's starter in Week 4 and immediately established himself as a difference-maker, finishing his debut season with 3,725 yards, 27 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. Even more impressive, Mayfield guided the Browns to a 6-7-1 record as a starter, no small feat considering they combined to win just one game over the previous two seasons.
Kitchens was introduced as Cleveland’s head coach shortly after the 2018 season came to a close. He ascended to the role of offensive coordinator in 2018following the midseason ouster of Todd Haley and head coach Hue Jackson, a change that coincided with the Browns making major strides offensively over the season's final half. Kitchens' close relationship with Baker Mayfield is another reason why management decided to hasten his rise up the team's coaching ranks, too.
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