The Browns rotated through four starting quarterbacks this year in a disaster of a season. Deshaun Watson, Jamesis Winston, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and Bailey Zappe all had turns under center, each struggling to produce quality quarterback play.
To add insult to injury, Baker Mayfield, who Cleveland drafted first overall in 2018 and the team ditched for Watson had a career year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Now, Browns GM is speaking on the success Mayfield is having, and he’s not taking any fault for how things played out with Mayfield in Cleveland, instead saying that the quarterback had some growing up to do.
“Baker’s doing a terrific job in Tampa. Certainly happy for him. A big part of quarterback’s success and failure can be environment. … There also is individual growth,” Berry said, per ESPN Cleveland’s Tony Grossi.
Andrew Berry on why he moved on from Baker Mayfield: 'Baker's doing a terrific job in Tampa. Certainly happy for him. A big part of quarterback's success and failure can be environment. … There also is individual growth.'
— Tony Grossi (@TonyGrossi) January 6, 2025
Fans reacted to the statement on social media.
“Who cares why do our reporters keep asking questions about someone not on our team?? Move on I don’t care about Tampa bay,” one fan wrote on Twitter.
“And we all know the kind of individual growth quarterbacks make in the toxic culture of Cleveland football!” another fan added.
“One of the things the Browns have been miserable at over the last 40 years is player development. The Ravens and Steelers take players in the end of 2nd round that are much better than our top 3 picks. Baker just needed patience and development, he got that,” one fan added.
“Complete lack of accountability thinly veiled by doublespeak. Who created that environment, Andrew? Is it the fans’ fault?” one fan wanted to know.
“Potential was obviously there (rookie TD record in 13 starts, first playoff win, etc). He’s like a hedge fund manager who sold all his Apple stock and then blamed it on Steve Jobs not being the visionary business leader he became,” another fan added.
“So Andrew Berry confirms he creates a losing environment,” one person wrote.
It’ll be interesting to see how Cleveland treats its quarterback situation heading into next season.
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.