Keenum: Mayfield playing through injuries ‘was a small miracle’
With Baker Mayfield’s 2021 season over, the Cleveland Browns quarterback’s backup revealed just how shocking it was at times to see him play injured.
“I’ve watched him get hit a little bit closer than most people — maybe his wife and his mom and then me,” Case Keenum said. “I might be third just to see how carefully he gets up, but he’s tough.
“Yeah, there were some weeks where to get him to the field, it was a small miracle.”
Mayfield won’t play in Sunday’s season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals and will undergo shoulder surgery on Jan. 19.
Mayfield suffered a torn labrum and fraying in his left, non-throwing shoulder in Week 2 while attempting to make a tackle on an interception return. Mayfield played through shoulder issues — he also suffered a fractured humerus bone in Week 6 — and wore a harness to prevent it from dislocating. He also dealt with heel and groin injuries throughout the season.
Mayfield’s rehabilitation is expected to last four to six months.
“I did have a front-row seat to one of the gutsiest, toughest performances of a quarterback playing in a season that I’ve ever seen, culminating in the other night [versus the Steelers] and how he battled his tail off to really bring us back into that game and keep us in it,” Keenum said. “I think his entire season, he was battling a lot of things.
“He is one of the toughest guys I know and is a fighter. He came to fight every single day and pushed through a lot of adversity just to get on the field on Sunday. So I have a tremendous amount of respect for him, and it grew.”
Keenum will start when the Browns (7-9) host the Bengals (10-6).
Mayfield finished the season 253of-418 passing (60.5%) for 3,010 yards and 17 touchdowns with 13 interceptions for a rating of 83.1 and went 6-8 as a starter. His completion percentage ranks 28th among 32 qualifying quarterbacks and his rating is 27th.
Radio analyst Dieken announces retirement
Doug Dieken will call his final game as Browns radio color analyst on Sunday, as he is retiring after nearly 51 years with the franchise.
Dieken, 72, was the Browns’ starting left tackle from 1971-84. He never missed a game during his 14-year career, putting together a string of 203, which ranks fourth on the franchise list behind Clay Matthews (232), Lou Groza (216) and Phil Dawson (215).
Dieken moved into the radio booth in 1985 and has worked alongside play-byplay man Jim Donovan for 23 seasons.