Baker Mayfield storms away from media after “dumbest question you could ask”

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Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield is getting testy with reporters asking him about the team’s offensive struggles.

Mayfield was speaking with the media today when longtime Cleveland sports reporter Tony Grossi questioned him about a Browns drive that stalled in Sunday’s loss to the Patriots. As Grossi interjected with a question, Mayfield got short with him.

“Stop saying but,” Mayfield told Grossi. “I just told you the clock was running and we had a penalty. You want to give them the ball back? No. You don’t play, you don’t know. That’s just plain and simple.”

Grossi asked, “Were you happy with that drive?”

“Was I happy with the drive? No, we didn’t score points,” Mayfield said. “That’s the dumbest question you could ask. What? Jesus, Tony.”

With that, Mayfield stormed off, ending his media session.

The Browns are struggling on the field, and it appears that things aren’t going swimmingly for them off the field, either.

141 responses to “Baker Mayfield storms away from media after “dumbest question you could ask”

  1. He’s such a tool. Maybe you can get away with this stuff when you’re a solid veteran performer on a winning team, but with their record and his stats so far, no way.

  2. Drafting him was probably the dumbest thing Cleveland could do. Feeling entitled only adds to the fuel of opposing defenses. Mayfield hasn’t done squat in this league and I hope he gets fined and get forced to apologize to Grossi, who was only doing his job. My guess he plucked a nerve there.

  3. Hey Baker, were you happy with the drive that scored 0 points?

    I loathe Tony Grossi so much………

  4. I’d figure the dumbest question to ask Mayfield would be, “Does your version of a Baker’s Dozen consist of 11 players?”

  5. imagine being at work and losing a big business deal and then having a reporter ask you “are you happy with the way that prospective deal turned out?” Baker’s reaction doesn’t seem at all strange if you apply it to just about anything else in this world.

  6. In his defense, I don’t imagine he had to deal with a non-worshipful press at Oklahoma.

  7. To be fair it was a pretty dumb question DESIGNED to be irritating.

    Baker isn’t my favorite guy. He’s kind of a jerk.

    But please stop trying to paint athletes like monsters because of how they react to really dumb questions that ONLY are posed to get a reaction like this. You want a better response, ask better questions. “Are you happy with a drive that scored no points?” is a question that only is asked to specifically be irritating.

  8. Love it. Every reason I had to explain that Cleveland will not be up to matching the hype has come to pass. Assuming CLE dominates the AFCN was a premature ejaculation. This is, after all, CLE. Do it and then talk it, but no, they did exactly as I expected. Couldn’t happen to a better bunch of losers.

  9. So glad he’s not my team’s quarterback. True professionals don’t act that way. Bush league…

  10. Always said Baker never found a microphone he didn’t like. Guess he did today. Poor Baker is feeling the pressure.

  11. This guys attitude reminds me so much of cam newton. When things are going well, he’s very arrogant and full of himself.
    When things aren’t going so great, they wanna cry and throw tantrums.

  12. If he stays and talks fans will tell him to shut up. If he shuts up the same fans will expect him to stay and talk.

  13. How does Baker think that helps his team. He was out here talking about getting the small things right. Off the field behavior is part of that. You don’t have to like the media, but be the bigger person and don’t be a distraction for your team.

  14. The media ask the stupidest questions… Belichick is the BEST at dealing with stupid questions!

  15. bassplucker says:
    October 30, 2019 at 1:59 pm
    He’s such a tool. Maybe you can get away with this stuff when you’re a solid veteran performer on a winning team, but with their record and his stats so far, no way.

    ————

    A player can be adversarial with the media from time to time, but I don’t think I have ever seen anyone get away with this kind of behavior for long.

  16. “You don’t play, you don’t know.”

    Yeah, football isnt rocket science. Lots of people who haven’t played know things about it.

    Hes a clown.

  17. Grossi asked, “Were you happy with that drive?”

    “Was I happy with the drive? No, we didn’t score points,” Mayfield said. “That’s the dumbest question you could ask. What? Jesus, Tony.”

    ———————————

    It really was a dumb question. No one is ever ‘happy’ with a drive that doesn’t end up in a TD or at least a FG, especially when you’re trailing in a game. With that said, Mayfield proved he’s a child through his response. Could’ve answered that a little more professional or stopped at “no, we didn’t score points”.

  18. Should’ve asked Baker what he thought about the intentional false start on 4th and 11 called by his coach. That would be comedy gold

    I bet some fans show up this week wearing 4th and 11 t-shirts.

  19. The wheels are falling off the bus. The good news is that the Browns have an easy schedule the rest of the way. The bad news is that you’ll probably have to be 10-6 to make the playoffs and there is no way the Browns go 8-1 the rest of the way.

  20. Not the first time an exchange between Mayfield and Grossi has been like this — they have a weird dynamic. Can’t tell if it’s Mayfield unable to be composed when getting tough/critical questions, Grossi asking baiting and/or obnoxiously obvious questions, or both.

  21. There’s no question Mayfield and Browns offense is struggling and repeating the same mistakes. It’s also no question among anyone who has followed the Browns over the past 35 years is that Grossi’s thing is to ask a gotcha question that contributes a grand total of zero to the situation. He just wants to be in the story and make it about himself.

  22. Tony Grossi the guy who said he would retire if the Browns drafted Mayfield. I always wondered what their relationship was like lol.

  23. What a lot of you do not know is that 2 people Baker Mayfield hates the most are Colin Cowherd and Tony Grossi.

  24. I love his fire but he’s gonna have to reign it in.
    When this all blows up, and it will, who blows up the biggest, Baker, Odell, or Kitchens?

  25. Not how you deal with a dumb question. You’re supposed to stand there and give the same unsatisfying answer over and over in a monotonous voice and watch as the media members get angry and then they write about how uncooperative you are with them. It’s the Patriot Way.

  26. pftthoughtpolicemostwanted says:
    October 30, 2019 at 2:00 pm
    It was a dumb question.
    —————————————–

    Without knowing the interaction leading up to it, other than Mayfield talking down to Grossi, it’s hard to evaluate just how dumb it was. What can clearly be discerned is Baker indulging his petulant side. Tony Grossi isn’t some talking head hot taek hack, he’s earned the benefit of the doubt, Mayfield has not.

  27. Didn’t Baker initiate the dumb questions?

    “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.”

  28. Maybe Mayfield should take a page from Beastmode and just answer no comment or I’m just here to not get fined.

    It wasn’t long ago we felt sorry for Browns fans for always being horrible, Mayfield needs to remember that they are still not as good as expected and the Browns helped raise those expectations themselves. Be a pro Baker, it trickles down.

  29. Tony Grossi is on the selection committee for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, a place Mayfield will never enter unless he pays admission.

  30. Grossi is still bitter from when the local newspaper cut him loose. Always looking to stir the pot.

  31. Love it. Every reason I had to explain that Cleveland will not match the hype has come to pass. All pre-season it was how CLE will dominate the AFC-N and as I knew, it was all was all premature. We told you CLE fans – do it and then talk it, but no, they did exactly as I expected. Couldn’t happen to a better bunch of [fill in the blanks].

  32. Belichik & Brady have been asked dumb questions for the last 20 years. They know how to deal with them.
    This tool Mayfield is going to spend his entire career fighting with the media because he doesn’t have one ounce of savvy on how to keep from letting them push his buttons.

  33. Yes,it was a dumb question to ask,with an obvious answer,but Mayfield is way too arrogant for a guy who’s only been in the league for a season and a half. You don’t storm off the podium like a little baby. Guys like Brady and Brees and Rodgers get asked dumb questions all the time. You don’t see them acting like this. Baker’s still embarrassed about the game last Sunday,and he should be.

  34. How can a seasoned reporter like that ask such a ridiculous question?

    That’s like asking a golfer if they were happy after missing a two foot putt

    No doubt Mayfield’s a tool but for goodness sake some of these questions that are asked are just plain stupid

    Can’t blame the kid for blowing a gasket, at least he seems to care that he currently sucks

  35. I don’t care if its a dumb question, if the QB flies off the handle at that, then how does he stay cool and collected on the playing field?
    Its one thing to be a jerk, it’s another thing to over react and get out of control. That hurts you on the playing field.

    I thought he was the best QB of the draft. We will have to see if thats still true.

  36. It was a terrible question. But how many franchise quarterbacks would react that way? Passion and showing frustration are fine. You can do that and still have class. He needs to brush up on meaningless clichés to throw to reporters after a loss.

  37. This guys attitude reminds me so much of cam newton. When things are going well, he’s very arrogant and full of himself.
    When things aren’t going so great, they wanna cry and throw tantrums.
    ===========================================
    I’d be willing to bet Baker would at least make an attempt to recover his own fumble.

  38. It was a brilliant question, not only because it set Mayfield off, but because Mayfield was defending their decision making on that drive. I would’ve said the same thing after listening to that BS. “So…you’re happy with that drive? Okay, got it.”

  39. Wow, you guys are being nice. I’m not going to be, it was a stupid question. How is a qb ever happy with a drive that doesn’t net points. I would’ve either walked away too or made fun of that fool.

  40. If this is how one of the supposed team leaders acts,and we know Baker Mayfield is a loose cannon,Browns fans are in for a lot more of the same old same old.

  41. It’s either a stupid, STUPID question, or it was designed merely to irritate. Either way, it’s utterly inappropriate.

    By the same token, Mayfield’s response was not good at all. It was a great opportunity to make the idiotic reporter look like the fool he is. I understand that hindsight is 20-20, but I’d have replied to the reporter this way: I’m about as happy with that drive as you are when no one reads your work because you ask the most moronic of questions.

  42. I like how this reporter is a total jerk and then the rest of the media rushes to his defense and paints Baker as the bad guy.

  43. Brady walked away from Media when they questioned Edelman’s PED suspension in connection with snake-oil salesman Alex Guerrerro but the Patriots fanboys will say Brady was being attacked. Poor Tom Brady.

  44. It is a dumb question that deserves that type of response IMO. If the press is not going to respect him and ask him legit questions… Then why should Baker want to entertain them. Grossi was trying to get a reaction out of him & he got one. It’s like stubbing your toe and someone asking, did that feel good?

  45. I think Johnny is still available and wants to make the homeless guy right the whole time….

  46. Tony Grossi knew exactly what he was doing. Mayfield gave Grossi exactly what Grossi wanted. I’d never heard the name Tony Grossi until right now and this story makes headlines. Media members are trained to get a reaction from these athletes. Sells papers, subscriptions, etc.

  47. Media get what they get sometimes. It was an ignorant question. It’s like asking someone after their girlfriend broke up with them…”are you happy with the way the relationship ended?”

  48. It was a dumb question, but you are going to get dumb questions.

    Say it’s dumb and ask for another question. Don’t storm off like a toddler, stamping your feet.

  49. Mayfueld needs to be a much better player to get away with aerogance and rudeness he brings to the table

  50. 3xcharm says:
    October 30, 2019 at 2:46 pm
    Tony Grossi knew exactly what he was doing. Mayfield gave Grossi exactly what Grossi wanted. I’d never heard the name Tony Grossi until right now and this story makes headlines.
    ——————————————————–

    You never heard the name Tony Grossi until right now? When did you start following football, last week?

  51. “Dumb question” is right, but when you throw in the old “you don’t play, you don’t know”, not only are you wrong, you’re a moron.

  52. Reminds me of the previous under sized big personality QB the Browns drafted. How did that turn out…..

  53. This tells me the reporter did his job well. Congrats. Now it’s making all the headlines. Give that man a raise! The media is the worst.

  54. Ironic the supposedly loaded 2018 QB draft is not panning out. Their performance is almost inverse of the way they were drafted:

    1) Jackson
    2) Allen
    3) Mayfield
    4) Darnold
    Rosen incomplete

  55. I thought the preseason hype was going to be a flop, but not this big of a dumpster fire. Cleveland being Cleveland.

  56. I don’t blame the players from getting sick of the continual stupid questions from the press. Half the time the press is trying to get the guy riled up to cause a reaction from them.

  57. Unfortunately it isn’t the dumbest question the reporter could ask, and this is just for this week. The reporter could have asked how Baker thinks his little fumble/pass compares to Sanchez’ butt fumble, but I guess Baker is a little sensitive these days….

  58. You’ll always have the love thrown your way in August when everything was rosy and Cleveland was destined for Greatness.

    Maybe next time he can scream “Bernie Kosar isn’t walking through that door”.

  59. You never heard the name Tony Grossi until right now? When did you start following football, last week?
    —–
    Why should anyone outside of Cleveland know the name of a Browns’ beat reporter?

  60. This a softball question intended to get Mayfield to speak about what he’d do differently. Was it execution? Was it playcalling? Reporters ask questions like this all the time. It’s an opening for a player to pivot to constructive criticism of himself. To show that they know how to progress. Sure it’s a “stupid” question on the face of it, but the answer would be insightful. To me, Mayfield doesn’t seem like he wants to give much thought about what went wrong. With that mentality, he’ll always be a loser.

  61. Baker is smart! He stormed off after that stupid question to go and practice some more. At least that’s what I hope he did. We all know he needs all the practice he can get.

  62. Its a question to get him to publicly question coaching….and if you would ever read anything from the reporter in question, you would determine he is a hack….grossi hasnt been relevant for decades

  63. Google search….”why was Tony Grossi fired” and you can determine what a clown he is…..frankly, he is just a ‘pathetic litlle wanna be sports writer’

  64. Somebody needs to have Mayfield watch “Bull Durham”, or at least the part where Kevin Costner instructs a rookie player to “learn the cliches, they are your friends”…

  65. So apparently no one here knows the backstory. Tony Grossi said that if the Browns drafted Baker then he would retire, they did, he didn’t. They have been sparring ever since spring of last year. Old news, move on.

  66. This reporter has a long history of pushing people’s buttons. He was fired by the Plain Dealer at the insistence of the former owner of the Browns, fired by ESPN, and has pissed off coaches and players alike. There’s a video out there somewhere of Greg Williams smacking him down last season. I’m not saying Bsker had the correct reaction and certainly needs to grow up a bit, but some background on the guy that asked the questions certainly adds some color to the conversation.

  67. This guy needs to watch a josh Allen interview with the press to see how a young qb should handle himself.

    It’s no surprise as he watched Brady as a model for professionalism.

    Take notes Baker

  68. Or maybe realize you’re the face of your franchise, muster up an ounce of class, and realize dumb questions are softball questions in a media interview. That was Mayfield’s chance to say politlely that he’s never happy with anything less than a touchdown on any drive. Then, the headlines would be about his competitive drive, not his petulant fit.

  69. @brownsnotawful2019 says:
    October 30, 2019 at 8:20 pm
    So apparently no one here knows the backstory. Tony Grossi said that if the Browns drafted Baker then he would retire, they did, he didn’t. They have been sparring ever since spring of last year. Old news, move on.
    =========================================================
    To those familiar with Cleveland reporters…no most of us, including me, no anything about the local reporters. Thank you for providing the backstory, cause it sheds light on their back and forth.

  70. Me thinks Baker is feeling pressure from inside the building as well. I noticed the body language of his WRs after errant throws. They are beginning to react by throwing up their hands and/or shaking their heads to increasingly bad throws Baker is making. Baker needs to pick it up or else comparisons to Tim Tebow accuracy will begin.
    Perhaps Hue did know what he talking about after all…

  71. How this could have gone.

    Tony: It seemed there was a lack of urgency from the offense on that drive… a lot of time between snaps…

    Baker: We’ve looked at film and made adjustments. We are now focused on the Broncos.

    Tony: Were you happy with that drive?

    Baker: No.

    His reaction is only going to bring more prodding from the media. Don’t give them a story, just give dumb obvious answers to dumb obvious questions. Reward good questions with full answers. End of story.

  72. curtfj says:
    October 30, 2019 at 2:14 pm
    The media ask the stupidest questions… Belichick is the BEST at dealing with stupid questions!
    —————————
    Best among NFL coaches (and I can’t stand the guy, but props where they’re due). The best I’ve heard is Coach Pop with the Spurs, who’s known for exchanges like this–

    Obnoxious, clueless sideline reporter: Coach, you’re tied at the half. What does your team have to do in order to win this game?
    Pop: Score more than the other guys.

  73. A dumb question deserves a bland answer and not an insult.
    “Were you happy with the results of the drive?”
    “Of course not. Every time we start a drive we expect to end in a TD. It is the whole team’s responsibility to make that happen. That includes me. We will review the film internally, make the needed corrections and improve”
    This is called QB speak. Someone should teach it to Baker before he takes the next question. Unlike playing in the NFL, learning to open your mouth and say nothing of substance is really easy.

  74. biggest tool in sports this guy is completely overrated and is a joke…you know….obj now knows that eli was not that bad, and giant fans now know that eli having that .500 record as a qb with having that talent around him for 75% of his career does make him a hall of famer.

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