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Baker Mayfield wishes Odell Beckham Jr. well after Browns win in first game after split

CINCINNATI — Quarterback Baker Mayfield revealed he has yet to hear from Odell Beckham Jr. in the aftermath of the wide receiver forcing his way out of Cleveland.

What's more important is the Browns are 1-0 since Beckham dominated national and local headlines last week with his divorce from the franchise.

The Browns will officially release the three-time Pro Bowl selection Monday, with their locker room basking in the afterglow of a 41-16 blowout win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Sunday's pivotal AFC North game at Paul Brown Stadium.

After the triumph, Mayfield addressed media for the first since Wednesday, when the Beckham situation hadn't yet been resolved. At the time, Mayfield said he held out hope OBJ would return to the team and they could work through their issues.

The Browns announced Friday morning they would release Beckham, and the two sides signed a settlement Saturday.

“My feelings haven't changed. I wish him well,” Mayfield said in his postgame news conference. “From a personal standpoint, he's a good friend of mine. We still haven't talked, but that doesn't change things. I wish him well. I wish him the best in his career, but I'm worried about the guys in our locker room.

“I'm proud of these guys how they were able to focus up despite all the bulls*** that was going on this week and how they were able to do their job. That's why I appreciate this group of guys and the staff that we have, so we're going to see if we can build on it and continue to get better.”

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) throws during the second half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) throws during the second half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)

On Tuesday morning, Beckham's father, Odell Beckham Sr., shared a video on Instagram highlighting plays on which Mayfield missed opportunities to connect with a wide-open OBJ from Weeks 3-6 this season. Beckham Sr. also repeatedly wrote “#bigfacts” in agreement with people who ripped Mayfield in the comments section of the post.

Mayfield responded with one of his best statistical outings of the season, and the Browns (5-4) moved into third place in the division by thrashing the Bengals (5-4).

Wearing a harness on the his injured left, non-throwing shoulder, Mayfield went 14-of-21 passing (66.7%) for 218 yards and two touchdowns without an interception for a rating of 132.6. He took two sacks. In the first half, Mayfield went 7-of-8 passing (87.5%) for 121 yards and a touchdown without an interception for a perfect rating of 158.3, helping the Browns earn a 24-10 halftime lead.

A two-time college walk-on who won the Heisman Trophy at the University of Oklahoma and became the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Mayfield is known for thriving when he's doubted.

“I'd say this is a pretty unique situation to be honest with you. This wasn't anything that I've had before,” Mayfield said of the Beckham drama. “But it's the type of sick, twisted mindset that I've idolized — guys like Kobe [Bryant] and Mike Tyson, people that when they have their back against the wall, the best comes out, and you see what somebody's made of.

“Mentally, you've got to find out how to do that every week, and that's just a part of the process and just being wired differently, it is what it is. But like I said, this is a team win. It wasn't about anybody else but this whole group as a unit, and I'm very, very proud of this group.”

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Baker Mayfield wishes Odell Beckham Jr. well after Browns dump WR