Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield confirmed Monday night he will be having offseason surgery to repair the torn labrum in his non-throwing left shoulder, an injury he has played through since Week 2.
With the Browns already eliminated from playoff contention, Mayfield also didn’t rule out sitting for Cleveland’s final game on Sunday against the visiting Cincinnati Bengals, but he said he would be conferring with his agent and family before making that decision.
“I’m an extremely competitive guy,” Mayfield said following Cleveland’s 26-14 loss at the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football. “Now it’s time for me to start looking at what’s in the best interest of me and my health.”
In another rough outing, Mayfield was sacked nine times by the Steelers, who also intercepted him twice. At one point in the first half, Mayfield failed to complete a pass on 10 consecutive throws, the NFL’s longest incompletion streak since 2019, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
Mayfield also became the league’s first quarterback since 2017 to be sacked at least five times and have five passes batted down at the line of scrimmage in the same game.
“It’s not gonna always be pretty or smooth, but I’m a fighter,” he said. “If anybody ever questions how much I want it, just turn on this tape. It wasn’t pretty, but I kept going, kept swinging; that’s who I am, and that’s what I will continue to be.”
In addition to the torn labrum, Mayfield has battled left foot soreness and a right knee contusion this season. He also has had to wear a harness on the left shoulder to prevent it from popping out of place again.
“I’ve continued to lay it out on the line when I haven’t been healthy and tried to fight for our guys,” Mayfield said. “Right now, I’m pretty damn beat up, to be honest with you. There’s no way around it. I gave it everything I had tonight.”
Mayfield is under contract with Cleveland through the 2022 season, after the Browns exercised the fifth-year option on his rookie contract last offseason for $18.86 million.