Baker Mayfield had a very strong rookie season after taking over for Tyrod Taylor at quarterback for the Browns last fall. But that change wasn’t the only one that played a big role in the dangerous Mr. Mayfield’s development.
The No. 1 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft really took off once now-head coach Freddie Kitchens took over as the offensive coordinator when Hue Jackson and Todd Haley were fired during the season.
Rather than beating the dead horse that is blaming Jackson, the focus here is on how Mayfield really perked up once coach Kitchens was calling the shots.
Here’s the raw data from the passing, courtesy of Pro Football Reference. The coaching change came after the loss to Pittsburgh highlighted in the graphic below:
Beyond the raw numbers, those who study and break down the analytical accomplishments also noted a big spike for Mayfield under Kitchens.
Pro Football Focus offered a couple of bits of evidence on how Mayfield progressed once Kitchens took over the controls, too:
With a full offseason to reflect on what worked and what needs improvement from both parties, expect the football marriage between Mayfield and Kitchens to thrive now that both men are clearly in charge in Cleveland.
