Browns QB Mayfield playing through partially torn labrum
As Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield likes to say about himself, "Mama didn't raise a wuss." Mayfield has been playing through a partially torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder for the past few weeks, two league sources confirmed Thursday morning for the Akron Beacon Journal.
NFL Network first reported the exact nature of the injury, which occurred when Mayfield's left shoulder popped out and back in during a 31-21 win Sept. 19 over the Houston Texans. He was attempting to make a tackle on an interception return.
The injury has not caused Mayfield to miss a snap, and he has repeatedly refused to use it as an excuse for recent his accuracy problems.
The Browns (3-1) only listed Mayfield on their injury report for one week after the Texans game. He is not on the injury report this week in the buildup to Sunday's road game against the Los Angeles Chargers (3-1).
It's too early to tell whether Mayfield will need offseason surgery, one of the sources said.
Three-time Pro Bowl left guard Joel Bitonio said Mayfield hasn't let on that the injury has bothered him in games.
“I think there's no doubt in any of the players' minds that he's one of the tougher guys out there," Bitonio said. "He's going to go and he's going to battle and he's been hit and beat up before, and he just keeps coming back. You're going to have to do a lot more to get him out of games than whatever is going on with him now."
Mayfield lamented the accuracy woes he experienced Sunday in a 14-7 win over the Minnesota Vikings, but he did not blame the injured shoulder.
“It's attached,” he said in his postgame news conference. “I'm all right.”
Mayfield went 15-of-33 passing (45.5%) for 155 yards without a touchdown or an interception as the Browns (3-1) used dominant performances by their defense and rushing attack to defeat the Vikings (1-3). Mayfield posted a passer rating of 59.5, rushed twice for 11 yards, and took three sacks.
Asked after the game whether the injury had anything to do with his accuracy issues in Minneapolis, Mayfield said, “Nah, it's my left shoulder. Throw with my right.”
However, Mayfield conceded Wednesday the shoulder injury has forced him to wear a harness.
Asked if the harness is affecting his throws, Mayfield said, “It shouldn't, no.”
Mayfield's teammates respect his effort.
"I'm not going to do my [Terrell Owens impression] — 'that's my quarterback' — but for real, that's how I feel," linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. said.