“The relationship is too far gone to mend. It’s in the best interests of both sides to move on.” Baker Mayfield, the then-QB for the Cleveland Browns, said this in March 2022, requesting a trade from the team after a four-season tenure. This came after knowledge that the Browns were scouting to see if Texans’ QB Deshaun Watson would be interested in a trade reached Baker. And in an instant, Mayfield was expendable. It has been over two years since but like they say, old love can’t be forgotten.

Mayfield seems to be in a similar situation as his thoughts about his former team haven’t wavered as his recent message tells all. In a recent Instagram story, QB Baker Mayfield shared a Players Tribune post: “When @nchubb27 [Nick Chubb] blew out his knee last season, he laid on the field thinking his career was over.⁠ But Cleveland rallied behind him.⁠ Now, he’s healthy and ready to pay them back.”

Chubb sustained a gruesome knee injury in the Week 2 game against the Steelers last year that has kept him away from the field since September 18, 2023. Prior to this freak injury, which tore his MCL and damaged his ACL, the athlete had 330 carries for 1,695 yards and scored 13 touchdowns in 19 games between the 2022 and 2023 seasons before his season-ending injury. After two reconstructive knee surgeries and spending months rehabbing, Chubb is ready to now ready to get back to gridiron after nearly 57 weeks in the Week 7 game against the Bengals.

The post also included a quote from Chubb, who said, “Cleveland got my back.” Hence, while showing his support for the running back, the Buccaneers QB shared this as his story, with a caption – “If anyone can do it, then Chubberz can.” All these warm fuzzy feelings, does it reek of a denied closure on Baker’s part? This interview from October last certainly hinted so.

Mayfield’s IG post is certainly indicative of how the Browns could have reciprocated the same patience as they did with Chubb. Just take this instance from Pat McAfee’s show from a year ago. The 2018 No. 1 overall draft pick, whose commendable bounce-back season made a good case for earning him all-star honors for the first time in his career just three months later, said, “I think I’m still confused too.

“I think towards the end there, I played 2021 with a pretty much torn apart shoulder and I was excited to get surgery, get healthy and get another shot to try and get back to that 2020 form but that wasn’t their plan and I’m a firm believer everything happens for a reason.”

As far as the Browns’ long-time search for a franchise QB, the management didn’t think Mayfield made the cut. After coming off the bench in Week 3 as a backup for then-starting QB  Tyrod Taylor in his rookie year, Baker led the team to their first win after 635 days over the New York Jets. From breaking the NFL record for a first-year QB (3,725 yards and throwing 27 touchdown passes) to a lackluster next season where he nearly threw as many interceptions as TDs, the genuine hope of landing on a franchise QB was stretched thin.

His performance in the second season came at the cost of Cleveland registering a 6-10 win-loss tally. They eventually fired coach Freddie Kitchens and the entire season, Baker seemed to play a divisive QB role, being on a different page of the playbook than star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Not to forget his run-ins with commentators and the eventual call-outs on social media. There was a noticeable turnaround in the next season with a playoff win (Browns’ first since 1994) and leading them to the AFC Championship game, hinting at a long-term signing, which never really materialized.

Before exiting the Browns, Baker Mayfield played for four seasons with Nick Chubb in Cleveland. The team drafted the two in 2018, and they soon became stars, helping Cleveland reach the playoffs in 2020…

Baker Mayfield and Nick Chubb had a great connection!

The QB held a brilliant record when he teamed up with Nick Chubb. In the 54 games together, he had a passer rating of 87.9 with 13,033 yards and 81 TDs.But it’s not only about the connection on the field. The bonding extended outside the field as well.

Mayfield’s message to the injured Chubb, even after becoming a QB for the Tampa Bay team, also shows their friendship. “Love you Nick…Prayers up,” Mayfield tweeted this when he received the news of Chubb’s season-ending knee injury. And now that he is back once again, despite being in Tampa, Mayfield is happy and confident in Chubb.

Only time will tell how brilliant Chubb’s return is. For now, hope and happiness fills his best mate Mayfield.