The Cleveland Browns may still be less of a rival to the Pittsburgh Steelers than the other AFC North teams, but not too long ago, that seemed like it was going to change. After the Browns lost every single game during the 2017 season, they had the opportunity to draft quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Mayfield eventually flamed out with the Browns due to injuries, but during his rookie season, he seemed like he was going to completely change the culture in Cleveland. It seems one former Steelers offensive coordinator might have had played a big role in getting Mayfield ready for the NFL spotlight.
Todd Haley was the Steelers’ offensive coordinator from 2012 to 2017, helping Ben Roethlisberger and company produce some of the best offensive seasons in Steelers history. However, Haley was not retained after the 2017 season, a decision the Steelers may regret now because of how terrible their offense has been since then. He then helped create the first sparks of a true rivalry between the Steelers and Browns when he became Cleveland’s offensive coordinator in 2018. In a recent appearance on Pardon My Take, Mayfield was asked when the last time he really got chewed out by a coach was, and his answer was Haley.
“Todd Haley had some really good ones my rookie year. He tore me apart,” Mayfield said. “He did it to everybody. It wasn’t like he would make it personal unless you just didn’t give a shit. That was the only time he would single you out. He would let you know you’re pretty damn stupid. That was probably the last really good one.”
Haley’s approach to coaching was well-documented that offseason because the Browns were featured on Hard Knocks. As Mayfield says, Haley was not afraid to raise his voice at players. There were reports early on in Haley’s career with the Steelers that he and Roethlisberger weren’t exactly seeing eye-to-eye, and this kind of attitude may have been why, although the two eventually came together and did some amazing work.
Haley didn’t last long with the Browns, getting fired halfway through the year, but it seems he did help Mayfield enter the NFL with a bang. During his rookie year, Mayfield broke the record for most touchdown passes thrown in a rookie season, and while Haley wasn’t there for the best stretch of the season, he did help Mayfield transition from college to the pros. This record has since been broken by Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert. Mayfield was known as a player with a strong personality, so perhaps it took a coach with an even stronger personality to help him enter the NFL.
Mayfield’s career has seen some serious ups and downs since Haley was fired, including beating the Steelers in the playoffs in 2020 and then looking like he was going to be out of the league in 2022. Now, he seems to have found his footing again with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and although that 2020 playoff loss still hurts, it’s good to see Mayfield revive his career.
After all, if the Browns hadn’t decided to give up on him, they never would have sacrificed a treasure chest of draft capital and given a king’s fortune to Deshaun Watson, who has struggled mightily in Cleveland. Watson seems to think the Steelers are the Browns’ biggest rival, but until he has half the impact Mayfield did, that won’t be true. Steelers fans may not have hated any team more than the Browns after 2020, but now, it’s almost back to the status quo. Maybe they shouldn’t have given up on Mayfield so soon, although the Steelers are likely glad they did.
