Browns QB Baker Mayfield is pumped about having Odell Beckham Jr. to throw to this season. And while speaking about Beckham coming to Cleveland, he mixed in a dig at Giants fans.
"He's here to work, and he wants to be surrounded by people who love him and support him and allow him to be himself," Mayfield told ESPN's Mina Kimes. "He's here to play in front of fans who actually care, who will actually show up to every game and pack the stadium and love him for who he is."
Some facts when it comes to Mayfield's claim that Browns fans "pack the stadium" ...
FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland has a seating capacity of 67,895. Last season, when the Browns went 7-8-1 and were one of the most exciting teams in the NFL, they drew 65,765 fans on average (97.5 percent of capacity).
MetLife Stadium has a seating capacity of 82,500. Last season, when the Giants went 5-11 and were basically out of the playoff race before October, they drew 76,940 fans on average (93.3 percent of capacity).
In 2017, when the Browns (0-16) and Giants (3-13) were both terrible, the Browns averaged 63,882 fans per game (87.3 percent of capacity) while the Giants averaged 77,179 fans per game (93.6 percent of capacity).
So, Mayfield's choice to praise the attendance of Browns fans when compared to Giants fans is just poor. Just like his suggestion that most Giants fans didn't love Beckham for who he is.
Beckham is no longer on the Giants because ownership and/or Dave Gettleman decided they no longer wanted him to be on the Giants, not because the fans didn't appreciate him or want him. And the back-and-forth nonsense that has been happening since the Beckham trade has come from the Giants' front office, not the fans.
With Mayfield now taking shots at the Giants and their fans (adding to Beckham's many digs at the team since he left), the real shame here is that the Giants and Browns don't play one another this season.