In years past, “cocky” might have been the best word to describe Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield. This season, however, there’s another C-word that’s probably is more apt for the 25-year-old signal caller: consistent.
Apart from a season-opening loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1, Mayfield has thrown at least two touchdowns in every one of Cleveland’s games, all wins that have seen the Browns put more than 30 points on the scoreboard. Currently sitting at 4-1 on the season in prime position to contend for the division title in the AFC North, the Browns are off to their best start since the mid-’90s, and Mayfield’s play in the pocket has been a big part of it.
According to Mayfield, one of the reasons he’s been able to perform so well on a consistent basis is a new addition to his daily routine: CBD from Massachusetts-based wellness company beam.
“Being a young guy, my ego would step in and have me feeling like I didn’t have to do any body maintenance to continue to play at a high level,” Mayfield tells InsideHook. “But that’s not the case, my body is aging. I love the Dream capsules to wake up and feel rested after a good night’s sleep. I use the Focus capsules to be alert and study and do everything I need to attack the day. The Dream and Focus I consistently use each and every day. I’m very consistent because I truly believe in it and I can tell there’s a very noticeable difference.”
Now in his third year in the NFL, Mayfield has realized how important it is to be a stable leader for the Browns and credits CBD with helping him do it.
“It’s a blessing to have the responsibility to lead a team as a quarterback and the face of a franchise, so I take pride in that,” he says. “But how can I consistently be that person for this team? Being less stressed out and extremely focused, those are things I have to be day in and day out. I have to be that same person for these people every day, and these products are helping me do that. I’ve come to the realization that my body is kind of my product and I have to invest in it to be able to perform at a high level. That goes for the physical aspect of it and as well as the mental. I have to know defenses and teams inside and out to the point where there’s no hesitation when I see certain looks on the field.”
Making himself take a break from football to avoid getting burnt out has also been a key part of Mayfield’s success in 2020.
“I think stepping away from football is extremely important,” he says. “Then, when you step back in, you can be fully engaged and 100 percent there. When you’re able to step away from it, it makes it all easier. To unplug, I have gotten into Sudoku. My wife and I are into our cooking. Obviously, we don’t go out with COVID-19 going on, but we didn’t do much before that anyway. We stick to our routines, lay around, watch TV and relax, because it is a stressful lifestyle. I’m rewatching The Blacklist right now. I enjoy that. People are trying to get me to watch Yellowstone.”
While Mayfield may listen to the masses about watching the latest Kevin Costner joint, he’s learned to tune out the outside world with regard to football.
“There are so many people on the outside that have opinions, but they don’t truly know what’s going on,” he says. “Whether they’re patting you on the back or throwing you in the trash, none of it’s good for you. Not listening to the outside noise and staying true to who I am is more than enough. You need that happy medium, not getting too high, not getting too low.”
Staying even-keeled has Mayfiend and the Browns ready to keep rolling in Week 6 and beyond.
“We separate the season into four quarters. So we basically just finished the first quarter of the season, but we have to hit the reset button and take it one game at a time,” Mayfield says. “We have some good opponents coming up and each game is extremely important. But the next one’s always the most important, so we have to continue to improve. We have a good foundation, but we need to keep building and getting better. It’s just the way of the world. We have to continue to get better, because somebody out there is working hard.”
As should be clear based on the success he’s had in 2020, so is Mayfield.
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