Baker Mayfield has been in the NFL long enough to know what he should and should not pay attention to outside of the game. On Thursday we found out one thing the Cleveland Browns quarterback is definitely not paying attention to: internet death threats.
A few days after Mayfield’s dismal four-interception performance in the Browns’ loss to the Green Bay Packers on Christmas Day, his wife, Emily, wrote in an Instagram story that Mayfield had been receiving death threats on social media.
“It’s crazy how much negativity is amplified via social media,” Emily wrote via cleveland.com. “I’m still a believer that there’s more good people out there than bad, but WOW does social media make me think otherwise sometimes. Which plays into why I love to spread positivity. Our world needs more of it.
“The death threats, lies being told about my husband, and blatant DISRESPECT never ceases to amaze me. For the record — I pray for those of you who even think those thoughts, let alone type them out. I hope you can find some happiness so you stop trying to steal it from others.”
Mayfield was asked on Thursday about the death threats his wife mentioned on Instagram. He said that it’s not the first time they’ve gotten threats on social media. He doesn’t take them seriously and didn’t even contact Browns security.
#Browns QB Baker Mayfield said death threats his wife posted about on IG didn’t rise to the level of team security or authorities becoming involved. Mayfield also said it’s hard to tell loved ones to not listen to social media. He added key board warriors make “empty threats.”
— Nate Ulrich (@ByNateUlrich) December 30, 2021
Mayfield said the threats are nothing new to him and his wife. He said it could be a challenge to block out some of the external noise.#Browns
— Tom Withers (@twithersAP) December 30, 2021
#Browns QB Baker Mayfield on the death threats he’s received: “We’re in a world today and a society where there’s a lot of keyboard warriors who make empty threats.”
— Ashley Bastock (@AshleyBastock42) December 30, 2021
Head coach Kevin Stefanski also wasn’t concerned about any death threats, noting that the team is ready to step in if needed.
“If it rises to the level of that, certainly we can help address those type of things,” Stefanski told the media via Sports Illustrated. “Short of that, just in general, not specific to that, it’s a lot of noise out there.”
With their playoff chances hanging on by a thread, the Browns (7-8) obviously want to block out as much “noise” as possible and focus on their Week 17 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7-1).