NFL Analyst Issues Buccaneers 'Respect' Plea

As children, we were told that respect is earned, not given, and for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Baker Mayfield, we aren't sure what more they can do to garner more respect from the NFL community.

Mayfield has had two Pro Bowl seasons, won the division twice, and is coming off the best season of his career last year (4,500 yards, 41 touchdowns), and has made the playoffs in both years.

Now, as we turn for 2025, the Buccaneers added Haason Reddick in free agency, plus two young corners in the draft, along with first-round pick Emeka Egbuka. Yet some still aren't willing to give Tampa Bay any hope for a deep playoff run.

But Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer is.

"After a Super Bowl title and then four consecutive division titles, can the Buccaneers get some respect?" Breer wrote. "The roster is deep, balanced and homegrown. While the edge rushers and corners could be better (and maybe they will be), there’s no huge unanswered question here other than how 35-year-old Josh Grizzard will do as OC after following Canales and Coen."

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield throws a pass before the game at AT&T Stadium.

Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

The only thing some have to cling to is Mayfield's third coordinator in three years, but in the case of Josh Grizzard, some are overlooking the fact that he was the Buccaneers' passing game coordinator under Liam Coen last year.

So the "change" won't be as big as some think, with the offense roughly staying the same with verbiage, and Grizzard's own wrinkles thrown in too.

Still, the Buccaneers struggle to get respect among the NFL community. Who knows, maybe Mayfield needs to win a Super Bowl before everyone takes notice.

But given what we've seen, skeptics will still find a way to water down that accomplishment, too.