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Baker Mayfield rips Cleveland Browns for mishandling Odell Beckham Jr.'s injury

By Connor Grott
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) has been dealing with a groin or sports hernia injury since training camp. File Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) has been dealing with a groin or sports hernia injury since training camp. File Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI | License Photo

Dec. 8 (UPI) -- After the Cleveland Browns' win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, quarterback Baker Mayfield voiced his displeasure with how the team has handled star receiver Odell Beckham Jr.'s injury.

"I'd say that it wasn't handled right," Mayfield told reporters. "He's not able to run as well as he should be able to, as well as he knows. And that's frustrating for him. You can sense some of his frustration, where that comes from. It wasn't handled the right way in our training room. It is what it is. His 'not 100 percent' is still good enough for us."

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Mayfield's comments came after league sources told NFL Media and the Cleveland Plain Dealer earlier Sunday that Beckham has been dealing with a groin or sports hernia injury since training camp. According to NFL Media, the wideout is deciding whether to undergo surgery to repair the injury in the off-season.

Mayfield suggested the Browns should have addressed Beckham's injury before the start of the season. Instead, the former New York Giants receiver has played through pain throughout the year.

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"I think it could've been addressed earlier on," Mayfield said Sunday. "Looking back on it, obviously, hindsight is 20/20. He probably would have missed the first two [games]. One or two, just based on the fact that it was during training camp. It is what it is. We're here right now. It's too late to do that.

"He's fighting through pain. He's playing through pain. That shows you the type of guy he is."

Mayfield later tweeted an apology for his comments, clarifying that his intentions "were not to throw our medical staff under the bus."

"No I don't know all the facts about Odell's injury," Mayfield wrote on Twitter. "It was emotionally answered because I can sense his frustration and I care about my team and putting us in the best position to win.

"Those people within our building know my intentions and where I am coming from. I truly believe that and I apologize to those that don't deserve the backlash.... Today was a good team win. On to the next one."

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Beckham, 27, has been on the Browns' injury report throughout this season for what the team has called hip and groin injuries. He has regularly been a limited participant in practice since early in training camp and sat out all of Cleveland's preseason games.

In his first year with the Browns, Beckham has recorded 59 receptions for 844 yards and two touchdowns. He finished with only two catches for 39 yards during Sunday's 27-19 win over the Bengals on Sunday.

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