The stare down of Hue Jackson was free. Another Baker Mayfield moment from last Sunday wasn’t.
According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, the league fined the Browns rookie quarterback $10,026 for a “lewd gesture” during the game.
The fine apparently arises from Mayfield’s sideline touchdown celebration, which was interpreted as, to put it mildly, the descending of a male mammal’s testicles.
Offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens tried to downplay the incident during a midweek press conference.
“That is something in our room that is an inside deal in our room that is going to stay in our room,” Kitchens said. “It is not a big deal. I do not know. I told you guys, media tries to create controversy, right? I told you a few weeks ago. There you go. . . . I do not know what he did wrong. I do not know. I do not understand what he did wrong. I do not understand what the big deal is. He is in the middle of a football game in the National Football League. There is great emotion in a game of football, and whatever he does on the football field is on the football field, so I do not know. I like guys that have a relentless pursuit of competition, and they rally around the competition. Sometimes when you are in competition, somethings you do, you just do. You do not even know why the hell you do it, but I do not have a problem with Baker.”
The league apparently does, although Mayfield will appeal the fine. Whether he wins the appeal or not, Mayfield continues to be one of the most compelling figures in football. Here’s hoping he never changes.