Baker Mayfield gave his perspective on alleged comments that went viral this week

Mayfield explained he spoke with Buffalo sideline reporter Cynthia Frelund, whom he said he’s known for years, but that the full story of their encounter did not include explicit language directed toward the Browns.

“She said I looked happy, looked healthy, looked like I was in a good place, I said, ‘Yeah,'” Mayfield explained. “She said, ‘I hope you go take it over,’ and obviously (was) descriptive, but I said, ‘Yeah, me too.’ So that’s the extent of it.

“It’s obviously a bigger story because I haven’t given the media what they’ve wanted me to give them this year and this offseason. So this is what they think that I’ve said, and it’s not. So, take it and run with it, but I know what I did, and our team knows what I said, so it’s alright.”

When asked about the comments, Cleveland defensive end Myles Garrett said the Browns have “known (Mayfield) has that type of demeanor and that attitude.” Mayfield reiterated that it’s an attitude he is keeping for his teammates and those closest to him.

“I keep it in-house,” Mayfield said. “I talk to our guys, and (Garrett is) a person that I played with for four years, so he knows how I’m wired, how I compete every single day in everything I do, so (that comment) is to be expected.”

While the story has kept football fans online buzzing for over 24 hours, head coach Matt Rhule shrugged when asked if it was a distraction, saying: “I wasn’t distracted by it.” Mayfield said it “didn’t matter” in the grand scheme of the season.

“Football is a violent, very emotional, passionate sport, and that’s the way I’ve always played it,” Mayfield said. “I’m not going to change that. In the grand scheme of things, it’s a great storyline – it really is – because I wasn’t expected to be out of Cleveland. But after Week 1, there are 16 more that really, really matter. That’s how I’m approaching it.”