If Cleveland's Dawg Pound has taught Baker Mayfield anything, it's to bark back at the critics.
The Browns quarterback responded to Rex Ryan's "overrated as hell" remarks after the analyst had some harsh words for the second-year signal-caller earlier this week.
"In the wise words of [coach] Freddie Kitchens, ‘If you don’t wear orange and Brown, you don’t matter!' Rex doesn’t have any colors on right now for a reason," Mayfield told reporters Wednesday.
#Browns Baker Mayfield on Rex Ryan saying he’s ‘overrated as hell’ pic.twitter.com/zESXi89cOk
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) September 25, 2019
Ryan had more than a couple things to complain about while discussing Mayfield on ESPN's "Get Up" on Monday after the Browns fell to the Rams.
"I don’t get it," Ryan said, via Cleveland.com. "I’d love to be an offensive coordinator here. I have Odell Beckham, Jarvis Landry, Nick Chubb and there’s Baker Mayfield. Yeah, I know he’s overrated as hell. . . . Look, I bought into the dang hype. I’m like, ‘Oh, yeah!’ But not to the point where everyone’s saying he’s going to be the league MVP. . . . Here’s a guy right now that’s a one-read guy, and then he’s going to improvise. He’s gotta realize that you are one of the slowest guys on that field when you take off with it. The ball’s not coming out in rhythm. He’s staring down guys, and you’re not that accurate down the field."
Haha talk to em Rex! Rex Ryan has had enough and he ain’t lyin lol.. Joe Thomas ain’t walking through those doors anytime soon... they better fix that offensive tackle issue before the 49ers game in 2 weeks lol pic.twitter.com/jDPx4YX92v
— CrockTIME (@eric_crocker) September 23, 2019
But Kitchens stood by Mayfield as he echoed his sentiment.
"I appreciate his opinion and all of that, but he’s not in our building and has no idea what we’re doing," Kitchens said. "Is he a one-read quarterback? No, he’s not. That’s asinine to say.
"He has no idea what we are doing. I would answer that with that."
Mayfield finished Sunday's game 18-of-36 passing for 195 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Mayfield was also sacked three times due in large part to the pressure forced by the Rams' Aaron Donald. He's thrown for 805 yards with three scores to go with five picks through Week 3.
The Browns (1-2) will next face the AFC North rival Ravens (2-1) at 1 p.m. ET Sunday.