Grading Baker Mayfield’s Career Timeline off his Facial Hair Alone…
This is probably one of the most fun articles I’ve written in a while. I noticed how many times Baker Mayfield’s facial hair has changed, so I figured I’d jot down some of my thoughts and make an article out of it. If you’re puzzled why someone would write an article about this, trust me, so am I. But hey, it might be interesting and intrigue a few readers. While I was writing this article, it made me think of David Beckham and how many times he changed his hairstyle. Maybe I’ll write an article about that too, who knows? But focusing the attention back on Baker Mayfield, let’s dive into this article and get right down to it.
If you’re still confused as to what this article is about, I’ll basically be going over each and every one of Baker’s facial hair styles. I’ll then be ranking each look based on how well Baker performed during that time period…
#5 Stubble Beard Baker Mayfield (2021)
This look is probably the most common style that Baker kept throughout the majority of his career. He had it in college and showed it off a lot over the years. Unfortunately, we can all agree that Baker Mayfield’s lowest point (statistically) was this past season. But before we jump to conclusions, we must also acknowledge the fact that Mayfield also played through a severe shoulder injury. Nobody told him to play, he made that decision himself. Unfortunately, that’s what cost his team a chance in the playoffs. He has guts, there’s no question about that. My hat’s off to you, Baker.
#4 Mustache Baker Mayfield (2019)
The classic mustache is by far my favorite look from Baker Mayfield. Something about it makes me laugh, because he only had it for a short period of time. Thinking about it now, it was more of a phase than an “era”. When he first showed up to a postgame interview with it, the press went nuts. I guess they just felt the overwhelming urge to post about it for some reason. That’s the funniest part.
Why is it that Baker’s mustache was getting more attention than the actual game itself? Maybe they just needed to address the elephant in the room. But nevertheless, it’s an instant classic in my book. The only reason it isn’t ranked higher is because 2019 wasn’t one of Baker’s best years when looking at the numbers.
#3 Lumberjack Baker Mayfield (2018)
Lumberjack, caveman, Neanderthal…whatever you want to call it, this was an important time in Baker’s career. This was back when Baker was first drafted by the Browns, and everything felt picture-perfect. Cleveland had its quarterback, and Baker had his team. Everyone held him in high regards back then, before all the hate and the trade talks.
He was the savior the Browns needed, and they gave up on him and threw him out, like all their other quarterbacks. If the NFL had a Camelot, it was the 2018 Cleveland Browns, and Mayfield was King Arthur. They may not have had the greatest season, but Baker and his beard gave the fans hope.
#2 Curly Hair Baker Mayfield (2020)
If 2018 was Camelot for the Browns, 2020 must have been the garden of Eden. The Browns ended their 18-year playoff drought when they defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in week 17, and then again in the wildcard round the following week. Everyone, and I mean everyone, was rooting for the Browns. People wanted to see them succeed, after so many years of poor play.
Obviously “curly hair” is not a facial feature, but I couldn’t think of anything else that wasn’t already used on this list. Curly hair or not, 2020 was Baker Mayfield’s greatest year as an NFL quarterback. The Browns had 11 wins that season, their most since 1994. Cleveland may very well go another five to ten years without sniffing the playoffs. They might never have a franchise quarterback ever again, but until they do, you can bet your ass that Baker Mayfield was the closest thing to it.
#1 Handlebar of Badassery Baker Mayfield (2017)
How can you not put Baker Mayfield’s handlebar mustache at number one? Forget the Heisman trophy-winning season. This look will get people talking, and that they did. There’s nothing that screams “I’m a badass” quite like this. Maybe some shades, a leather jacket, and a Harley-Davidson would do the trick, but that’s beside the point. Every young athlete wanted to be 2017 Baker Mayfield, especially if you played football.
He had the perfect underdog story. He wasn’t highly recruited coming out of high school, and declined a scholarship offer to walk on to a school closer to home. An injury cost him his chance at winning the starting spot his freshman year, and he decided to transfer again. He walked on to Oklahoma and ended up winning the Heisman Trophy as a senior. What more could you ask for, other than a national championship (of course)? It’s truly a story you would hear about only in Hollywood.
As of right now, this is probably one of the greatest moments of his life, let alone as a football player. I hope it’s not his peak though, and wish that this is only the beginning, of a spectacular NFL career.
Thanks for reading my article, I appreciate the support! I just started writing for Gridiron Heroics, but if you’re interested in checking out more of my work here’s a link to another article of mine
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