CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Heading into the Browns' Week 1 showdown against the Carolina Panthers, all the main storylines appeared to revolve around the man who was no longer with the team.
Both sides tried to at least publicly downplay any drama involving quarterback Baker Mayfield, who on Sunday made his first start as a Panther against the club that had drafted him No. 1 overall. Yet it was Mayfield himself who, one way or another, appeared to fan the flames of the tension by wearing and selling a t-shirt declaring he was now "off the leash."
Star defensive end Myles Garrett, who was selected first overall the year before Mayfield, was among those stressing that this was just like any other game. But after Cleveland prevailed with a 26-24 last-minute win, the All-Pro did admit Mayfield's words might have added some extra motivation.
"The tone was set with the attitude of some of the guys on the other side," Garrett said with a smile, before adding of the pregame banter, "It had us a bit off the leash."
The relationship between Garrett and Mayfield has long been tricky, possibly dating back to Mayfield's quick and vocal admonishment of Garrett's infamous helmet swing against Pittsburgh Steelers QB Mason Rudolph way back in 2019. For his part, Garrett has said he is "no rivalry" with Mayfield, and after this game denied he had "lost respect" for his former teammate.
"I don't think I ever had a problem with him as a football player," Garrett told reporters. "He was playing injured [with a torn labrum last season], and that earns a lot of respect in my eyes, as well."
For his part, Garrett made his presence known in the backfield this afternoon, recording back-to-back sacks and forcing a fumble in the second quarter. Mayfield got off to a rocky start in the first half but came on strong late, finishing with 235 passing yards and two total touchdowns while also leading what appeared to be a game-winning drive before Cade York eventually put Cleveland ahead with a 58-yard field goal.
"Him being able to lead those kind of drives, I've seen it before against multiple teams," Garrett said. "I just didn't want to be on the opposite end of that."
As for Mayfield, he had also made headlines in the leadup to the action by allegedly saying he wanted to "f--- them up" in reference to his former team (something he later denied). Following today's final whistle, he expressed a desire to move on.
"Everybody made this out to be the Super Bowl, but despite what everybody's going to make this, there's 16 more games," a frustrated Mayfield said. "The Super Bowl's not until February; this is the beginning of September, so like I said, a lot of anticipation, but we're going to flush this, we're going to learn [from] it, and we're going to be better from it."