Mayfield on Riley: 'He's doing his thing and I'm doing mine'
Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield warms up before playing the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field on Sunday.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield is focusing on his current coaches as opposed to a rumored one for the future ... who is also part of his past.
Mayfield was asked about Oklahoma's Lincoln Riley on Wednesday, two days removed from the Browns firing head coach Hue Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Haley and replacing them with Gregg Williams and Freddie Kitchens, respectively.
"I love Linc, but we have what we have. He's doing his thing and I'm doing mine. (I'm) not worried about that," the 23-year-old Mayfield said of Riley, who helped guide the former to the Heisman Trophy last season.
"Coach Williams is our head guy now, Freddie is our offensive coordinator and we need to roll with that. We need to believe in that. We have the team that is capable of winning in this locker room. Have to trust that."
Riley coached Mayfield for three seasons in college: two as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach and one as head coach.
The 35-year-old Riley, however, came out shortly after the Browns' decision to part ways with Jackson and Haley on Monday to say that he's not interested in coaching in the NFL -- at the moment.
"The truth is for me, I love Oklahoma. I love coaching here," Riley said in a news conference Monday. "I love coaching college football. I certainly don't have that itch right now."
Right now?
"I don't know that I ever will," Riley said. "But I'm never going to be a guy that stands up here and says 'no way, no how' with any of these things ever happening. I don't know that. But I know right now I could care less about the NFL."
Mayfield, who was the top overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, has completed 130 of 223 passes for 1,471 yards with eight touchdowns and six interceptions this season.
He has been sacked 20 times in the six games he has played for the Browns (2-5-1), who will host the Kansas City Chiefs (7-1) on Sunday (1 p.m. ET).
When asked how he's feeling, Mayfield was quick with his answer.
"Good. Ready to go," he said.
Also on Wednesday, the Browns named former NFL quarterback Ryan Lindley as their running backs coach. Lindley assumes the position previously held by Kitchens.
Lindley completed 140 of 274 passes for 1,372 with three touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 10 regular-season games with the Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts. The 29-year-old spent two years with Kitchens, who served as the Cardinals' quarterbacks coach from 2013-17.
Lindley, who also spent time with the then-San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots, joined San Diego State's coaching staff in 2017 as a graduate assistant.
Recent Stories
Rams hard at work despite earning bye
The Los Angeles Rams will continue to stay hard at work despite earning a bye through the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs.
Players will continue to visit the ...
Packers' lost season includes losing Rodgers to concussion
Green Bay's 6-9-1 season ended with Aaron Rodgers getting knocked out of Sunday's 31-0 loss to the Detroit Lions with a concussion. That was dubious and fitting ...
49ers will retain defensive coordinator Saleh
The San Francisco 49ers gave up a lot of points and did not force many turnovers, but Robert Saleh will return for his third season as the 49ers' defensive coordinator, ...
GM Licht says Winston is Bucs' quarterback
Dirk Koetter was fired as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' head coach on Sunday, but his quarterback will be staying.
General manager Jason Licht, who will lead the search ...
Chargers get another chance against Ravens
The Los Angeles Chargers didn't have to wait long for a chance to avenge their Week 16 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Los Angeles was shut down by Baltimore's stout ...
Latest Player Notes
How a Wisconsin legend got his German protégé into Badgers pro day
Mar 15, 2024
Marlon Werthmann put his life on hold for the opportunity in front of him Friday at the McClain Center.Werthmann ...
Why former Wisconsin football running back Braelon Allen didn't run the 40 at pro day
Mar 15, 2024
Braelon Allen’s sweat covered his shirt and dripped off his beard as he approached a group of reporters Friday.The ...
How can UW recruit its best class ever? It starts with these five prospects
By Andy Yamashita
Seattle Times staff reporter
Jedd Fisch has lofty recruiting goals at Washington. He didn’t waste any ...
Texas football kicks off spring practice Tuesday. We answer 24 questions for the 2024 team
Things certainly look fresh for the 2024 college football season, especially on the Texas campus.There’s a new conference ...
College Football Playoff: Conferences solve their differences (for now) and agree on general framework for 2026 and beyond
The FBS conferences and Notre Dame agreed on Friday to continue the College Football Playoff beyond the 2025 season, signing ...
Ball security, leadership key as Aztecs look to identify starting quarterback
San Diego State seemingly auditions a new starting quarterback on an annual basis.In the past 12 years, the Aztecs have opened ...
Results and more: A look at what happened at Penn State football’s Pro Day inside Holuba Hall
Most of those at Penn State’s Pro Day Friday were relatively quiet throughout the afternoon’s workouts, but there was one ...
Defense dominates first two weeks of Oregon State spring practice as Beavers ready for 2-week breather
CORVALLIS – Oregon State hit the break of spring practices Saturday, not exactly the midpoint but a good place to assess ...
Dillon Gabriel to have similar input, autonomy as Bo Nix had in Oregon’s offense
Published Mar. 16, 2024, 6:26 p.m.By James CrepeaEUGENE — Dillon Gabriel will have much of the same autonomy as Bo Nix did ...
Two transfers, one underclassman who impressed in Missouri football's spring game
With that, spring camp’s a wrap.Missouri football held its Black & Gold spring game Saturday in front of a healthy crowd ...