Mayfield: 'I put my foot in my mouth a lot this past year'

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield isn't planning to speak out next season like he did throughout a distraction-filled 2019 campaign.

"Let's just be honest, I put my foot in my mouth a lot this past year," he said Friday during an appearance on ESPN.

Mayfield made headlines for his brash chatter throughout the season, beginning in June when he ostracized Duke Johnson for requesting a trade. In December, he criticized the Browns' medical staff for its handling of Odell Beckham Jr.'s sports hernia during training camp.

The 24-year-old also frequently responded to critics, which included former NFL head coach Rex Ryan, who sat next to Mayfield on the ESPN set.

"I have to be me, but I don't need to reply to the stuff on the outside," he said.

In September, Mayfield took a combative approach to Ryan calling him "overrated as hell" and a one-read quarterback: "In the wise words of Freddie Kitchens, if you won't wear orange and brown, you don't matter, and Rex Ryan doesn't have any colors right now for a reason, so it's OK."

The Browns entered 2019 with lofty expectations but floundered to a 6-10 record. Mayfield threw 21 interceptions in his sophomore campaign, the second-highest total in the league behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Jameis Winston.

"I've never turned the ball over so many times, that might have been the most combined over my whole career," Mayfield said. "You can't win like that. That falls back on me, I'll take all the blame for that. It comes back on communication, just being on the same page, doing my job the best I can and not worrying about the outside stuff, not replying to you, not telling you that orange and brown don't matter."

Cleveland made sweeping changes following the season, bringing in a new head coach and general manager in an attempt to right the ship in 2020.

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