Baker Mayfield keeps list of critical media members for motivation

Peter Schrager Mock Draft 2.0

Baker Mayfield is taking names.

The former Oklahoma quarterback and projected first-round pick in April’s draft keeps a list of media members who have “crossed the line” with their criticism, according to Sports Illustrated. Mayfield also takes screenshots of tweets he deems offensive and stores them in his phone, all for the purpose of “motivation.”

“At the same time it really doesn’t bother me that much,” Mayfield told SI of the outside criticism, “because I know the people that say some of these things have never actually taken a snap behind center, never had a 300-pound lineman about to hit them while they have to read the defense downfield.

“If I was worried too much about it, I’d be worried about the wrong things. But I do use some of it as motivation. I can listen to all the people patting me on the back, or I can listen to the people saying I need to get better. I know I need to get better, or else there would be nobody saying that.”

Mayfield caused an uproar on multiple occasions during his time in Norman because of his actions both on and off the field. He was arrested in 2017 after drunkenly attempting to flee police officers, and video of the incident still circulates online. Then came the infamous crotch-grab during the Sooners’ beatdown of Kansas, after Jayhawks players refused to shake Mayfield’s hand before the game.

Joe Thomas, the former Browns offensive tackle who retired this offseason, voiced concern about a player like Mayfield, whose fiery personality and chip-on-the-shoulder mentality sometimes leads him into trouble.

“The thing that scares me about someone who is motivated by criticism is that he could become overwhelmed with the amount of negative,” Thomas said, according to Sports Illustrated. “You wonder with Baker, is there a critical mass where there’s so much criticism, and there are so many people saying he can’t do it, he just gives up? When your confidence has been shattered, you lose love for the game, because what people were saying about me was so important.

“I think I’ve seen that in Cleveland and also with a lot of young quarterbacks all over the league, because most of them have a lot of success their whole lives, and all of a sudden the NFL is a different game, and everything they thought they knew about themselves — that they were great leaders, and they could throw the ball and read defenses, and that their will would always overcome — they start to question those things and lose their confidence, and some never regain it.”