Baker Mayfield's nightmare of a season is over.
Instead of Mayfield quarterbacking the Browns (7-9) in Sunday's regular-season finale against the AFC North champion Cincinnati Bengals (10-6) at FirstEnergy Stadium, he will be shut down, coach Kevin Stefanski said Tuesday on Zoom.
Mayfield will soon undergo surgery on the completely torn labrum he suffered in his left, non-throwing shoulder in Week 2, and backup Case Keenum is expected to start versus the Bengals.
"Baker won't play in this last game," Stefanski said. "We're going to hold him out. We're going to get surgery scheduled really as soon as possible so that he can get back healthy as soon as possible.
"Throughout this whole thing, we have tried to make the right decision based on all the information available to us, constant dialogue with our medical staff, with Baker, all those type of things, and throughout have really felt comfortable based on all that information that he was able to play and those type of things."
After the Browns lost, 26-14, to the Pittsburgh Steelers on "Monday Night Football" at Heinz Field, Mayfield revealed for the first time publicly he would undergo surgery on his problematic shoulder. He also said he would talk to his agents and family about sitting out the final week of the season.
Stefanski said the Browns worked with Mayfield's camp to make the final decision.
"I think both sides very involved," Stefanski said. "I think throughout this whole thing, constant dialogue with Baker, with our medical team, second opinions, his agent, those type of things. Just having conversations with his agent this morning and conversations with Baker, just felt like that was the right thing to do."
Stefanski said he didn't have a timetable for Mayfield's recovery, but rehabilitation from a surgically repaired torn labrum is typically four to six months.
"I am going to have surgery," Mayfield said Monday night on Zoom. "I am going to get this shoulder fixed and be able to come back next year at 100 percent."
Mayfield's is under contract with the Browns through next season because general manager Andrew Berry exercised the fifth-year option on the quarterback's rookie deal for $18.858 million.
However, Mayfield's future with the Browns is in question after his 2021 season proved to be a massive disappointment, and it should be no surprise if Berry seeks an upgrade in the offseason at the sport's most important position.
Mayfield finished the season 253-of-418 passing (60.5%) for 3,010 yards and 17 touchdowns with 13 interceptions for a rating of 83.1 in 14 games, going 6-8 as a starter. He rushed 37 times for 134 yards (3.6 average) and a touchdown. He took 43 sacks.
"I'll wait to talk about reflecting on this season," Stefanski said. "There will be time for that. Ultimately, I'm frustrated for Baker not to be able to finish the season and those type of things, but anything past that I'll kind of wait to discuss."
Mayfield and the Browns clearly have not been in lockstep about the degree to which injuries affected his performance in his fourth NFL season. Although Mayfield repeatedly stated his desire to play, he has admitted injuries have impacted his ability to throw the ball well consistently.
"Now it's time for me to start looking at what's in the best interest for me and my health," Mayfield said Monday night. "I've continued to lay it out on the line, and I haven't been healthy.
"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."
On Dec. 1, Berry best summarized the Browns' viewpoint on Mayfield's injuries when he said, "He's healthy enough to win games for us."
The torn labrum and fraying Mayfield suffered in the shoulder Sept. 19 when he tried to make a tackle on an interception return against the Houston Texans headlines a long list of injuries. He also suffered a fractured humerus bone in the same shoulder on Oct. 17 in Week 6 and lower-body injuries (left heel, right knee contusion and groin) later in the season. He has worn a shoulder harness since Week 2.
"Throughout we've been pretty consistent," Stefanski said. "I think Baker's been pretty consistent telling you guys how he felt week in and week out. I'm not going to say that all of it didn't affect it in some way. Of course, it would affect it in some way. But I think he's been pretty clear that he's been ready to go in these games."
Mayfield hasn't been satisfied with Stefanski's game plans and play calling, either, and he made it known twice this season.
After the Browns defeated the Baltimore Ravens, 24-22, on Dec. 12, Mayfield lamented the offense becoming too conservative
In his postgame media availability Monday night, Mayfield criticized the game plan for combatting Steelers star edge rusher T.J. Watt. Mayfield pointed out the coaches should have given rookie right tackle James Hudson III more help with double-teams and chip blocks against Watt.
"Obviously their front's pretty good. It has been for years," Mayfield said. "But when you've got T.J. Watt over there and we're not giving our rookie tackle a whole lot of help, it's not going to be good."
The results were ugly. Watt had four of Pittsburgh's nine sacks and five of its 11 quarterback hits.
"When you don't accomplish what you want to accomplish, people are certainly frustrated," Stefanski said of Mayfield's criticism. "We'll always look at what we could do better. There were plenty of times that we did have a person and location to chip and those kind of things and other times protection held up and ultimately whether it was we didn't get the ball out or guys weren't open or whatever it was, it's always a multi-faceted type thing. That's our job to look at and try to find a way to be better."
Later, Mayfield said the offense hasn't always been put in positions to succeed by the coaches.
"Do I believe I could play better? Absolutely," he said. "Do I believe there's positions that we as an offense could've been put in that are better? Absolutely. There's so many critiques throughout the year. If there wasn't, we wouldn't be sitting here at 7-9. So it is what it is."
Asked whether he put Mayfield in positions to succeed this season, Stefanski said, "I just think we were at times as a team we've been very inconsistent this season, as an offense certainly. All things that we'll look at long term once the season's over and have a chance to look at all of it. But certainly there's frustrations there."
