Browns QB Baker Mayfield leaves with knee injury against Patriots, doesn't return

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield left Sunday's blowout loss with a right knee injury late in the third quarter against the New England Patriots.

Mayfield was replaced by Case Keenum with the Browns in New England territory, down 31-7. After he misfired on a short pass to D'Ernest Johnson, Mayfield was hit by the Patriots' Matthew Judon and limped off the field afterward.

The injury was unrelated to the left shoulder ailment he's been playing through. He went into the medical tent on the sideline and, with the Patriots up big, wouldn't return.

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski told media after the game that Mayfield could have come back in had it been a more competitive game.

"Baker's a competitor," Stefanski said. "(I) just didn't feel it was the right thing to put him back out there."

Keenum was sacked on the next two plays after taking over for Mayfield and knocked the Browns back into Cleveland's end of the field. The Patriots ended up rolling the Browns, 45-7.

Before he left the game, Mayfield completed 11 of 21 passes for 73 yards, with a touchdown and an interception. He also was sacked twice in the game and had a mere 36 passing yards in the first half.