TAMPA, Fla. — As Baker Mayfield walked out of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ indoor facility, a coat of orange dye making his hair brighter than that day’s sun, a big smile lit up his face as his teammates took one look at his head.
As part of a charity event for kids with cancer, Mayfield was one of the many Bucs players who allowed the kids to dye their hair. It was all in good fun, and Mayfield is all about the fun these days.
He’s pushed way past all that talk of being a busted top-overall pick to become one of the league’s most-underrated quarterbacks, a player who should be strongly considered among the top 10 in the league.
Those Cleveland days, where they stupidly allowed him to leave after making him the top-overall pick in 2018, are way in the rearview mirror as he settles into his third season in Tampa, coming off his best NFL season yet.
The Bucs are Mayfield’s fourth team, but it’s the home he was searching for his entire career. They love him in Tampa, and he loves the Bucs back. His teammates rave about him. The organization and front office love him. The warm feel is evident as his teammates walked past during our interview.
Massive left tackle Tristan Wirfsone of his best friends, walked by and gave Mayfield a playful push.
“Man, you look good in that tank top, but I don’t know what you are going for,” Mayfield said to Wirfs.
“I am looking (expletive) huge,” Wirfs yelled back.
Playful. Light. Laughter.
It’s that way in a lot of NFL places in June, when games aren’t on the line, but it’s that way for Mayfield most of the time now because he’s found a home. It’s all he ever wanted.
“I always had to trust the fact that if I got into the right situation, good things were going to happen,” Mayfield said. “I knew what I was capable of doing. It took me getting to Tampa Bay to be the best version of myself.”
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Mayfield, who always came across as confident, admitted that it waned some as he was let go by the Browns and Panthers before latching on with the Los Angeles Rams in 2022.
“I had to build that confidence back,” Mayfield said. “There were points in time where I did (have doubts). The first glimpse I got it back was in L.A.”
He played in five games for the Rams, four as a starter, and threw four touchdown passes and two picks. The numbers weren’t gaudy, but his play impressed. He came off the bench the week he arrived in Los Angeles and helped the Rams win a game over the Raiders with barely any time learning the offense. Then he completed 24 of 28 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns to beat the Broncos.
It was enough for him to get a one-year deal in Tampa Bay in 2023, with the idea in the organization being it might just be a short stint after Tom Brady retired.
Mayfield changed that thinking with his play. Now he’s entrenched. He is coming off a season where he threw a career-best 41 touchdown passes to finish tied for second in the league and was also third in yards with 4,500. In two seasons with Tampa Bay, he has 69 touchdown passes and has taken the Bucs to the playoffs in each of his two seasons and earned a three-year, $100 million contract last year.
But if you think he’s resting on his success, you can forget about it. I asked him if the infamous chip he carries on his shoulder is gone.
“Nope,” he said. “I love playing here with these guys, but I have to be internally motivated.”
For the first time since the 2020-21 seasons with the Browns, Mayfield will be in the same system for two straight years. That means not learning new terminology and a new offense. But he is learning from a new coordinator.
When Liam Coen left after one year to take the head coaching job with the Jacksonville Jaguarsthe Bucs elevated assistant Josh Grizzard to take over as the coordinator. Grizzard, who is considered one of the bright, young minds in the league — a coach who graduated from Yale — has never called plays at any level.
Grizzard, by the way, will be Mayfield’s ninth offensive coordinator in eight seasons. Nine. Think about that.
“Liam and I were close in L.A. and he was great for me last year,” Mayfield said. “Griz has his own tweaks on it. He’s handled it well. Things aren’t just going to transfer from one season to the next. Nothing we did last year matters. The foundation is there. We are working on explosive plays (Mayfield’s number of deep passes have come down the past two years) and fundamentals in the run game. Josh is still getting used to calling plays. He was instrumental in our third-down install and passing-game stuff last year. So he has experience.”
Mayfield said coach Todd Bowles is using practice situations to let Grizzard get familiar with calling plays.
“He’s letting him call plays in real game-type situations during practice,” Mayfield said. “But it comes down to feel for play callers more than anything.”
Being in the same offensive system two years in a row will help. Mayfield was asked to do more at the line of scrimmage last season under Coen, which he likes, and that will carry over with Grizzard.
“I try not take take it for granted being in the same system since I am so used to learning new offenses,” Mayfield said. “Now it’s just about the details. We have a great group. We have everybody back and added some pieces in the skill group. That makes it easier. I took a lot more responsibility last year, and I am taking even more ownership of it. When it comes to those checks at the line of scrimmage, it makes it a lot easier with the guys being back. They know when we get this blitz, and I am going to check to this play, it’s second nature for them. When people don’t have to think about it, it’s a lot better.”
The Bucs have all their starters back on offense and added receiver Was the delay in the first round of the April draft. He has been everything the team expected so far, giving them a nice weapon to go with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin (still recovering from injury) and last year’s impressive rookie Jalen McMillan at receiver and Cade Otton at tight end and Bucky Irving and Rachaad White in the backfield.
“He (Egbuka) has a natural feel to his route running,” Mayfield said. “He has a good feel of getting to the right spots in zone. He’s extremely smart. His head was never spinning. He was getting other guys lined up. He’s polished.”
But Mayfield was quick to point out the Bucs offense this year will be a lot like it was last year.
“It still runs through the run game and Mike (Evans),” he said. “That’s how it goes.”
There are some things the Bucs need Mayfield to cut down on. One is him putting his body on the line in situations where he can be smarter about it, although he was only 14th in carries by quarterbacks and he did have success scrambling with it.
The other is cutting down on interceptions since he threw a league-leading 16 last year. But part of him throwing picks is he’s always going to be a gunslinger. That’s who he is, and as quarterbacks have told me in the past: You can play not to throw interceptions, but you won’t be throwing a lot of touchdown passes either.
“When you go back and look at the interceptions and why they happened, a couple were just being too aggressive in certain situations,” Mayfield said. “You also have to eliminate the bad decisions first and foremost.”
As for protecting himself?
“Third down, game on the line, you have to do what you have to do,” Mayfield said. “Other things on the sideline, you can be smarter. I get it.”
He paused for a second.
“It’s football,” he said.
Expect big things from Mayfield and the offense again. The defense should be better with some nice additions in the draft in the secondary and the acquisition of Haason Reddick as a pass rusher. If that unit comes together, Tampa Bay can be a Super Bowl contender.
If the Bucs were to get there, Mayfield’s transformation would be complete. He would have gone from the Cleveland fiasco to a Super Bowl as the Browns continue to be mired in quarterback misery.
Mayfield is actually now underrated, and it’s almost like people want to see more. They still don’t believe.
That’s a mistake. He’s for real.
A Super Bowl could change all of that negative thinking — and it certainly will change his contract status. His three-year deal expires after the 2026 season. If he plays this season like he did in 2024, his average salary of $33 million will look paltry compared to some of the recent deals given out to the quarterbacks. Mayfield’s cap number goes to $50 million next year, so an extension after this season could be likely. When you see Brock Purdy get a deal that averages $53 million, Mayfield has to be eyeing that type of money.
That means it’s a big year for Mayfield, but he isn’t making it that. He turned 30 in April, and seems so content with where is as a player and seems to think the rest will work out.
“I wouldn’t change anything I’ve been through to get here,” he said. “This is where I was meant to be.”
Mayfield smiled. He does that a lot these days. Football is fun again.
Baker Mayfield’s Resurgence: From Busted Pick to Potential Super Bowl Contender? A Conversation with NFL Analyst, Dr. Anya Sharma
Keywords: Baker Mayfield, Tampa bay Buccaneers, NFL Quarterbacks, NFL Analysis, Super Bowl, NFL Contracts, Quarterback Performance
Time.news Editor: Welcome, Dr.Sharma. Baker Mayfield seems to be experiencing a career renaissance with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This article paints a picture of a quarterback finally finding his footing. What’s your take on his transformation?
Dr. Anya Sharma: Thanks for having me. The Baker Mayfield story is compelling. Remember, [baker Mayfield] was the number one overall pick in 2018, and the Browns moved on from him quickly. He bounced around and didn’t perform well.He is proving that environment and support are crucial for any player, especially a quarterback. He’s found that support system in Tampa Bay, and it’s unlocking his potential.
Time.news Editor: The article emphasizes the positive atmosphere within the Buccaneers institution. How much dose this contribute to a quarterback’s success, especially after experiencing adversity like Mayfield?
Dr. Anya Sharma: Immensely. Quarterbacks are leaders, and they need to feel valued and trusted. When your constantly looking over your shoulder, worrying about the next mistake, that affects your decision-making on the field. The Buccaneers seems to have created a haven for [Baker Mayfield], where he can be himself, led the offense, and make plays without the fear of immediate repercussions. This is a dramatic change from his previous stops.
Time.news Editor: The article mentions Mayfield coming off a career-best season,throwing for 41 touchdowns. Do you see this level of performance as lasting, or was it more of an anomaly?
Dr. Anya Sharma: I think it’s sustainable with a few caveats. Firstly, the continuity in the offensive system will be crucial as consistency is crucial for quarterback progress. [Baker Mayfield] has a new offensive coordinator in josh Grizzard. The article points out Grizzard, despite being considered a bright mind, lacks experience calling plays. This coudl present challenges. Secondly, Mayfield needs to address his interception rate. Sixteen interceptions are too many, even for a gunslinger which [Baker Mayfield] has been shown to be. Addressing these two areas will sustain his performance.
Time.news Editor: The transition to a new offensive coordinator, Grizzard, is highlighted. He is Mayfield’s ninth in eight season.How critical will this adjustment be for Mayfield’s continued success?
Dr. Anya Sharma: It’s a significant factor. The learning curve will be shortened because [Baker Mayfield] is in the same offensive system for two straight year.But Grizzard’s inexperience calling plans will be a transition. Though with the benefit of returning offensive starters with some explosive new pieces, this transition will be easier. The article highlights the increased duty that falls on Mayfield which will help to alleviate some concerns around the transition.
Time.news Editor: The Buccaneers have bolstered their receiving corps by drafting Emeka Egbuka. How will this addition impact Mayfield’s performance and the overall offensive dynamics?
Dr. Anya Sharma: The addition of Egbuka, along with returning stars like Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, gives [Baker Mayfield] an arsenal of weapons. This will open up the field, create mismatches, and ease the pressure on Mayfield to force throws, potentially reducing his interception rate. The article emphasizes that Egbuka has a natural feel and is polished. This is critical for a rookie receiver and will make the transition to NFL seamless. Though,the key will be establishing chemistry early and integrating Egbuka effectively into the existing offensive framework; but that’s all part of the game.
Time.news Editor: The article touches on Mayfield’s upcoming contract situation. With Brock Purdy’s deal averaging $53 million, is Mayfield poised for a similar payday if he continues to excel?
Dr. Anya Sharma: Absolutely. Quarterback contracts are constantly rising, and performance dictates everything. If [Baker Mayfield] can replicate his 2024 success, or even improve upon it, he’ll definitely be in line for a substantial contract extension.The pressure will be high and he seems to be internally motivated! However,his focus needs to remain on the field,and let his agent handle the contract negotiations.
Time.news Editor: the article poses the question: Can the buccaneers be Super Bowl contenders? What are the key ingredients needed for them to make that leap?
Dr. Anya Sharma: The pieces are certainly in place. [Baker Mayfield] needs to continue playing at a high level, minimizing turnovers and maximizing efficiency. Improved defense is also essential. Based on the article’s insight, the Bucs addressed the area this off-season in the draft.Most importantly, they need to stay healthy. That’s the most critical factor for any team aspiring to win a Super Bowl.
Time.news Editor: dr. Sharma, thank you for your invaluable insights. It’s clear that Baker Mayfield’s journey is far from over,and the Buccaneers could be a team to watch this upcoming season.
