Being a Cleveland Browns fan can be a challenging duty most seasons. However, watching their former quarterback light it up elsewhere while the team is stuck in purgatory is just plain mean.

There’s a darkness that comes with being a fan of the Cleveland Browns. Even when things are going well, there’s a voice in the back of your head telling you that the joy will only be temporary. This season has been nothing but pain for one of the most loyal fanbases in the NFL, and it’s not just the Browns’ abysmal season that keeps fans up at night.

Former Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield has had a career resurgence with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mayfield has currently helped the Buccaneers to first place in the NFC South with 3,617 yards passing and 32 touchdown passes. The former number-one overall pick is proving his worth, which makes the knife in the heart of Browns fans hurt even more.

SPECIAL: #Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield has the 5TH MOST touchdown passes ever by a quarterback drafted 1st overall in their first 100 starts.

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Mayfield has been elite. pic.twitter.com/V22ZFmoBxx

— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) December 17, 2024

The Browns thought they were making a deal for a diamond in Deshaun Watson when, actually, they had one already hidden in the rough. Mayfield is the only quarterback to lead the Browns to a playoff victory since the team returned in 1999. The former Oklahoma star carries the mentality that would describe the hard-working people of Cleveland. But now, he’s doing it in the sunlight of Tampa Bay.

Mayfield’s newfound success is just another painful chapter in the history of the Browns fanbase. But it might be the one that hurts the most. Once again, the franchise is facing another dilemma regarding the quarterback. A problem that could have been completely avoided.

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