If you want to pull up Youtube and queue up “Yakkit Sax,” this would be an excellent time to do it, because Tuesday the NFL news cycle ate itself and didn’t even let a real sportswriter do the damage. Instead, it was a quote in an article in GQ, from Baker Mayfield, that maybe he didn’t actually say at all.
He probably did, but, still.
Clay Skipper did the profile on the Cleveland Browns quarterback and at one point during their dinner, Mayfield sees New York Giants Daniel Jones on Sportscenter and remarks, “I cannot believe the Giants took Daniel Jones. Blows my mind. … Some people overthink it. That’s where people go wrong. They forget you’ve gotta win.”
Baker Mayfield to @GQMagazine on Daniel Jones: “I can not believe the Giants took Daniel Jones. Blows my mind. … Some people overthink it. That's where people go wrong. They forget you've got to win.” pic.twitter.com/XFF1ligqWL
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 20, 2019
Jones, of course, went 17-19 as a starter at Duke. Mayfield went 39-9 in his college career at Texas Tech and Oklahoma.
Mayfield, after the story broke and was tossed all over Twitter, claims he didn’t say that.
“This is not what I said . . . just so we’re clear,” Mayfield wrote on Instagram. “I also said I was surprised I got drafted number one. Then was talking about the flaws in evaluating QBs. Where I brought up winning being important. Reporters and media will do anything to come up with a click bait story. Heard nothing but good things and wish nothing but the best for Daniel.”
Baker Mayfield’s response today: pic.twitter.com/n6md7Ezmpt
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 20, 2019
Now, first off, there’s nothing Mayfield said about Jones in the attributed quote that no one else hasn’t said for months. The Giants have been roundly criticized for the pick. Second, he probably thought at that moment he was just having a conversation and not being recorded like he was about to go into witness protection. He needs to be more careful in that regard.
Jones, for his part, handled the uproar in the right way, by being gracious and completely blowing it off. “I think he (Mayfield) is a great player,” Jones told the New York Post. “He can throw it and I enjoy watching him play.”
It did give Jones’ teammates a chance to rally around him, which could be a good thing in the long run for a guy that’s supposed to be the future face of the franchise.
Daniel Jones on Baker Mayfield: “I think he’s a great player. He can throw it and I enjoy watching him play.”
— Paul Schwartz (@NYPost_Schwartz) August 20, 2019
“I see him as a guy that pays the criticism no mind,” Giants tight end Evan Engram said. “Personally, I think he hears it and it’s kind of hard to ignore. Especially being in New York with the media being so crazy, but he’s the type of guy who’s real humble, real focused and not really worried about any of that.”
One thing’s for sure, this will die down this season. Next season when the Browns and Giants face off, it will come raging back. Especially if Jones is New York’s starter.
