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Baker Mayfield blasts media for claiming he trashed rookie Giants quarterback Daniel Jones

“Reporters and media will do anything to come up with a click bait story,” Mayfield wrote on Instagram.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (left) clarified his comments about New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (right) on Instagram on Tuesday.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (left) clarified his comments about New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (right) on Instagram on Tuesday.Read moreAP Photos / AP Photos
    by Rob Tornoe
    Published 

“Baker Mayfield trashes Daniel Jones as a loser.”

That’s the headline on the New York Post story about comments the Cleveland Browns quarterback made in a GQ interview that set the internet ablaze much of Tuesday morning. But Mayfield took to Instagram to call out the Post, Barstool Sports, and the many, many outlets that he claimed intentionally took his remarks out of context.

“That’s not what I said … just so we’re clear. I also said I was surprised I got drafted number one,” Mayfield wrote. “Then was talking about the flaws in evaluating QB’s. Where I brought up winning being important.”

“Reporters and media will do anything to come up with a click bait story,” Mayfield added. “Heard nothing but good things and wish nothing but the best for Daniel.”

During the interview, conducted at the Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse just outside Cleveland, writer Clay Skipper said Mayfield was momentarily distracted by a SportsCenter segment on Jones, whom the New York Giants selected with the No. 6 pick in the 2019 draft. Here’s what Skipper wrote:

“I cannot believe the Giants took Daniel Jones,” Mayfield says, about New York's much-maligned draft-day decision to spend the sixth pick on the quarterback from Duke (whose college record was a measly 17–19). “Blows my mind.”
I tell Mayfield that I'm mystified that so many supposedly expert quarterback scouts seem unable to predict what makes a good NFL quarterback.
“Some people overthink it,” Mayfield says. “That’s where people go wrong. They forget you’ve gotta win.”

Those quotes by Mayfield were plucked and stretched by several outlets, and turned into sports talk fodder, with hosts such as FS1’s Colin Cowherd quick to weigh in on the budding controversy.

“Baker Mayfield was 1-5 vs. playoff teams. He’s the loser," Cowherd said on The Herd on Tuesday afternoon. "Because context doesn’t matter in wins, right, Baker?”

It’s not as if Mayfield is afraid to speak his mind when he has a strong opinion. Last month, he chided New York Giants fans for giving up on wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., claiming he’ll play “in front of fans who actually care” and “love him for who he is” now that he’s in Cleveland.

“Quarterbacks, by the textbook, are supposed to be reserved, cool, calm, and collected,” Mayfield told GQ. “I do it my own way.”

The Giants have received a good amount of criticism over the decision to draft Jones, but the rookie quarterback has impressed fans during the preseason, completing 16 of 19 passes for 228 yards and two touchdowns.