Chris Simms slams Browns’ treatment of Mayfield

Former NFL quarterback and current NBC Sports football analyst Chris Simms didn’t hold back in his criticism of the Cleveland Browns’ treatment of Baker Mayfieldduring his time with the team. In a recent interview with the New York Post, Simms expressed his disdain for the way the Browns handled Mayfield’s injury and subsequent attempts to replace him with Deshaun Watson

Simms stated, “Baker got screwed over by the Browns – there’s no other way around it. He played with a hurt shoulder for a year [2021] and didn’t play great. They used that against him and then went out and tried to get Deshaun Watson without letting him know.” This sentiment reflects Simms’ belief that the Browns unfairly leveraged Mayfield’s performance while injured against him, only to then pursue Watson behind his back.

The situation escalated when Mayfield, through social media, learned about the Browns’ meeting with Watson after initially failing to acquire him. This revelation led to Mayfield requesting a trade from the Browns. The saga culminated in the Browns securing Watson with a record-breaking contract and subsequently trading Mayfield to the Carolina Panthers.

Despite the contentious end to his time in Cleveland, Mayfield had previously achieved success with the team, leading them to a playoff victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers in January 2021. Since joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Mayfield has experienced a career resurgence, leading them into a divisional playoff game against the Detroit Lions.

Simms conveyed his confidence in Mayfield’s ability to lead the Buccaneers, stating: “I think they are dangerous this weekend. I think they match up really well with Detroit. If you ask me to pick one upset that could happen this week, it would be this one.” Simms’ assessment of the Buccaneers’ chances against the Lions aligns with his belief in Mayfield’s capabilities and the team’s potential to pull off an upset.

Simms’ sentiments are echoed by other analysts who also believe that Tampa Bay has a realistic chance of upsetting the Lions. The anticipation for an intense matchup between the Buccaneers and the Lions is palpable, with many expressing excitement about the potential upset.