7 hours ago 22

'Be yourself' mindset working well for Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield

One thing I love in football is the characters that play the game, there are no emotionless robots, and for Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield, what you see is what you get.

After struggling early in his career with the Cleveland Browns and the Carolina Panthers, Baker finally landed in Tampa, a place that has wholeheartedly embraced him, and his football has reaped the rewards.

Baker is allowed to be Baker, and yes, that includes the verbal jousting with Seattle Seahawks fans in the tunnel before the game last week, and then going back to said fan to give them an earful as he was passing by.

It's all part of the Mayfield show for the Buccaneers, and while some might not like it, he's not changing for anyone.

“I try and not get too high, not get too low, which is something that I was not doing early on in my career,” Mayfield said. “But early on in my career, yeah, it's looked as cocky, immature. Now it's moxy, he's a dog, so it's same (expletive), different day. Just as long as you play well, they change the narrative. But you just got to be yourself. And I've always been like that.”

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Baker a beloved Buccaneer

Having been accepted for who he is, Mayfield's play has been a standout since arriving in Tampa Bay. Granted, taking over from Tom Brady was always going to be a tough task. But all Mayfield has done is take this team to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, won two division titles, and he's playing the best football of his career.

Yeah, the "moxy" is back, and the gunslinging mentality, but that is all part of the Mayfield package, and it is fueling the Buccaneers in 2025 to great heights.

Baker nailed it, though. As long as you play well, and since setting foot in Tampa, he's been doing just that.

And a word of the wise to fans looking to get under Baker's skin in a verbal jousting match, he'll eat you alive if you give him the chance.