CLEVELAND — Quarterback Baker Mayfield gave the Cleveland Browns’ fans plenty of reason to cheer with his on-the-field accomplishments during his rookie season, and he continues to do so on a national level for his commitment to bettering the City of Cleveland.
In a national media appearance on The Jim Rome Show on CBS Sports Network in Atlanta at Super Bowl LIII Wednesday, Mayfield talked about auctioning off a dinner for two, which raised $40,000 for Providence House to help at-risk families in Cleveland.
“Unbelievable,” Mayfield said of being able to have a positive impact so quickly into his career.
“To be able to have that opportunity is very special, and to be able to give back to a city that’s believed in me and supported me, and just to be able to impact the youth, give every kid a chance to have the same opportunities as everybody else, I think that’s the important thing about it.”
With Mayfield’s help, the Browns were able to raise more than $100,000 in just 10 minutes to benefit Providence House at their annual “Deck The House” event at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Auctioning off a dinner was only one of the ways in which Mayfield supported Providence House during the 2018 season.
Mayfield was all about turning a negative into a positive, and not just with his play on the field.
Mayfield was fined more than $10,000 for a perceived obscene gesture on the sideline during the Browns’ 26-18 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2018 home finale at FirstEnergy Stadium on December 23, and the fans wanted to help him out.
A Go Fund Me page was started to “help Baker pay the fine,” but the quarterback came up with a better way to use the funds.
Mayfield tweeted out on New Year’s Day that the funds should go to help a Cleveland-based charity, Providence House, and followed up that news with four words that have endeared him even more to Browns fans:
“Help our city out!!”
In short order, Browns fans raised more than $5,400 to help Providence House.
Providence House is a Cleveland charity that protects at-risk children and supports families through crisis with the mission “to strengthen communities and end child abuse and neglect.”
The Browns and Providence House have partnered up for the annual “Deck The House” event at FirstEnergy Stadium for more than 20 years.
“It’s definitely not an easy situation,” Mayfield said. “Providence House does a great job of giving kids an opportunity to try and live normal lives.
“It’s families that reach out, and they want help. They want to get better, and so, just being able to be that person that kind of supports and pushes them along, I don’t want any of the credit, but I want those kids to have the same chance that I did.”
