On Monday night, Nick Bosa got his revenge on Baker Mayfield in more ways than one.
For context: Two years ago while both were in college, Mayfield’s Oklahoma Sooners beat Bosa’s Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus. To add insult to injury, Mayfield took an Oklahoma flag after the game, and waved it around before planting it at midfield.
Bosa didn’t forget that, and made it clear during the 49ers’ 31-3 rout of the Browns in front of a national tv audience. First, Bosa mimed the flag plant after sacking Mayfield in the second quarter. Then he gave an encore performance after the game, this time with an actual 49ers flag.
“I think everybody knows what that was for,” Bosa said in the locker room. “I just wanted to get payback. He had it coming.
Bosa said he’s been planning the payback for a while, with his former Ohio State teammate Sam Hubbard.
“Me and my buddy Sam, he plays with the Bengals, he played d-end with me that year, and I told him I was gonna do it. And he told me he was like ‘hey, I was gonna do it.’
“I’m glad we won, and we dominated, and that’s all that really matters.”
Bosa was a force all game, harassing Mayfield consistently, and finishing with five QB hits, two sacks and a forced fumble. Bosa made sure to let Mayfield hear about it.
“I was kind’ve trying to talk — I don’t usually talk — but this game he had it coming. But he didn’t say one word back.”
What did Bosa say?
“I was just screaming his name like ‘Bakerrrr, Bakerrr. C’mon, pick it up, we want a challenge.’ He was just looking at me.
“I don’t know how anybody thought he’d be able to see over Arik (Armstead) and (DeForest Buckner). He was panicking, he was double-clutching, rolling back and forth, we had him rattled all game.”