CLEVELAND — On Sunday, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Sammy Watkins responded to a fan on Twitter with a comment that implied that the Cleveland Browns weren't real competition for the defending Super Bowl champions.
But while many assumed that Watkins' insulting post would take up prime real estate on the Browns' metaphorical bulletin board, Cleveland quarterback Baker Mayfield said that he doesn't actually have an issue with the wide receiver's comment.
"I have no problem with it, to be honest with you. Because if you don't have confidence, then you're not going to have success," Mayfield said. "Those guys have been together for a few years now. They have a ton of confidence in each other. People get mad when you put it out there and it's 'bulletin board material,' but I don't have a problem with it. It comes with the nature of this game and you've gotta be confident and you've gotta know and believe in yourself."
While that may be the case, the Browns sure seemed to take to wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster's comment that "the Browns is the Browns" heading into last week's wild card round matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. After beating the Steelers 48-37, several Cleveland players were quick to throw the comment back in Smith-Schuster's face, including Mayfield, who could be seen repeating it as he ran off the field following the Browns' first playoff win since the 1994 season.
In other words, while Mayfield may not have wanted to fuel the flames of Watkins' comment publically on Wednesday, don't be surprised if it gets brought up behind closed doors. And if the Browns upset the defending Super Bowl champions at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, it's a safe bet the dig will also be referenced in Cleveland's postgame celebration.