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Sept. 25 (UPI) -- Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield was unhappy with comments made by former NFL head coach and current ESPN analyst Rex Ryan after the team's loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Mayfield told reporters Wednesday that Ryan's comments were "whatever," before adding that Ryan is no longer a coach in the league "for a reason."
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"It's whatever," Mayfield said. "In the wise words of [Browns head coach] Freddie Kitchens, if you don't wear orange and brown, you don't matter, and Rex Ryan doesn't have any colors right now for a reason. So, it's OK."
Mayfield's comments were in response to Ryan's barb on Monday. After Cleveland's 20-13 loss to the Rams on Sunday night, the former coach called the Browns gunslinger "overrated as hell."
"I don't get it. I'd love to be an offensive coordinator here," Ryan said of Cleveland. "If I have Odell Beckham, Jarvis Landry, Nick Chubb and there's Baker Mayfield -- yeah, I know he's overrated as hell."
When asked to explain the comment, Ryan said, "Look, I bought into the dang hype. I'm like, 'Oh, yeah' -- not to the point where everyone's saying he's going to be the league MVP.
"What's he doing right? Here's a guy right now that's a one-read guy, and then he's going to improvise. He's got to realize that you are one of the slowest guys on that field when you take off with it. The other thing, the ball's not coming out in rhythm. You're staring down guys, and you're not that accurate down the field."
Mayfield, who came in second in the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year voting last season, has had a rough start this year. He ranks 30th in completion rate and 32nd in quarterback rating.
Through three games this season, Mayfield has completed 56.9 percent of his passes for 805 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions. His quarterback rating sits at 70.3.
Ryan was fired from two head-coaching positions in the last five years, including the New York Jets in 2014 and the Buffalo Bills in 2016. He hasn't coached in the NFL since.
