BEREA, Ohio — Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield said death threats made about him that his wife received on social media were “not that serious” and “not anything new for us.”
After Mayfield threw four interceptions in Saturday’s loss to Green Bay that further jeopardized the Browns’ hopes for a playoff spot, his wife, Emily, posted to Instagram this week that she had been receiving death threats about her husband.
“It’s crazy how much negativity is amplified via social media,” Emily Mayfield wrote in an Instagram story. “I’m still a believer that there’s more good people out there than bad, but WOW does social media make me think otherwise sometimes. Which plays into why I love to spread positivity. Our world needs more of it.
“The death threats, lies being told about my husband, and blatant DISRESPECT never ceases to amaze me.
“For the record — I pray for those of you who even think those thoughts, let alone type them out. I hope you can find some happiness so you stop trying to steal it from others.”
Baker Mayfield was asked about her post following Thursday’s practice.
“It’s hard for me to say not to listen to it because I have quite a bit of experience of hearing a lot of opinions on the outside coming in. It’s hard when it comes down to somebody that you love and you care about,” Mayfield said. “She’s not able to change any of the outcomes to the game at all. It’s just one of those things that we are just in a world today and society that there are a lot of keyboard warriors who make empty threats and things like that, which it is quite honestly ignorant when they go after people who are not directly involved in football.
“When you talk about taking your own life, killing somebody or all of that, that to me is ignorance, but I try not to listen to it because those are not the people who I would listen to whether it was good or bad regardless.”
Mayfield said it helps keep his priorities in the proper context.
“It’s tough to tell your loved ones and your family not to defend you and look into that stuff. That’s just human nature,” Mayfield said. “You have to take it one day at a time and realize that your priorities, your family members and the people who truly matter to you, those are the opinions you need to listen to. It’s one of those things that it has blown up to be a much bigger deal on the outside.”
Mayfield and the Browns face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football.