Mayfield turned on media day coverage at his hotel. Annoyed at first question, he decided to attend

Baker Mayfield was watching coverage of Oklahoma's Rose Bowl media day on television back at the team hotel. The 2017 Heisman Trophy winner wasn't planning to attend due to an illness that has lingered throughout the week. But while he watched, the first thing he heard was that he wouldn't show up. And the first question head coach Lincoln Riley received was about his health.

Mayfield had enough at that point.

Still feeling ill and dealing with a raspy voice, Mayfield arranged for a hotel driver to take him to the L.A. Hotel Downtown. As reports were issued online that he wouldn't attend, Mayfield suddenly appeared on the second floor of the hotel and walked to his podium to take questions.

He was sipping on a to-go cup of coffee with honey and lemon, saying he was "sick of drinking tea." He was also sick of everyone else having to answer questions concerning his health.

"When I realized that players, teammates and some of these coaches would have to answer questions on my behalf, I got tired of it," Mayfield said. "They know I'm out there at practice. I'm not dying. I don't feel 100 percent right now but I'm here for them so they don't have to answer those questions."

Mayfield surely sounded like someone dealing with an illness that has affected him throughout Rose Bowl preparations. But given the end goal, this isn't a game Mayfield will sit out.

Mayfield said he started feeling ill around Christmastime, which had his mother worried about sending him off. He has dealt with ups and downs throughout the ordeal. Mayfield said he felt as good as he has Friday, and was able to yell while pushing his body through the practice. Saturday morning, however, Mayfield woke up feeling a little sluggish with a sore throat.

Mayfield is hopeful he will be 100 percent by Monday when Oklahoma faces Georgia in the Rose Bowl. But given the fact he has been practicing, it is evident he isn't going to miss this game, regardless of how he feels.

"This whole thing is not about me," Mayfield said. "The University of Oklahoma is here to play a playoff game. It's not about any sickness I have. We're here to win a game and that's what it needs to be about. My teammates don't need to answer questions on my behalf. I'm not dying. I'll be playing."

This story was originally published December 30, 2017 at 11:53 AM with the headline "Mayfield turned on media day coverage at his hotel. Annoyed at first question, he decided to attend."