After Baker Mayfield was named the starting quarterback for the Carolina Panthers, the 27-year-old spoke about the first game of the season and his return to the Cleveland Browns. Because it’s going to be emotional.

Munich – Baker Mayfield will be the Carolina Panthers’ starting quarterback in week one of the new NFL season. That, in turn, means the 27-year-old will face his former team right out of the gate – and in some ways, get revenge. Only an injury would change that.

The Cleveland Browns parted ways with the former number one pick this offseason and replaced him with the controversial Deshaun Watson. Mayfield, who felt ticked off by the signing of Watson, eventually landed in Carolina and now seems to have presented himself better than Sam Darnold.

After Mayfield was named the starter and called his competitor at the QB position a “great guy,” the 27-year-old also talked about facing his old team and admitted it won’t be a “normal game” for him.

“I want to improve “

“Of course there is a lot of attachment there. I’m not going to sit here and be a robot and say it doesn’t mean anything. It will. But right now all that matters is that I keep improving until the regular season starts,” Mayfield told reporters.

For the Browns, the 2017 Heisman Trophy winner threw for 14,125 yards, 92 touchdowns with 56 interceptions in four seasons. He also ran for five touchdowns himself and led the Browns to their first playoff win since January 1995 in the 2020 season. But the separation was icy, and not just because of the Watson signing. No wonder it’s getting emotional.