Bucs’ QB Baker Mayfield Opens Up About What Helped Him Revive His NFL Career
The 2018 No. 1 overall draft choice, Baker Mayfield, has had a rocky pro football career.
When the 2023 NFL season begins in September, the 28-year-old, who has played five seasons in the league, will don the uniform of his fourth NFL team.
Bucs’ QB Baker Mayfield Opens Up About What Helped Him Revive His NFL Career
Last season, Mayfield made it known that he was set to restart his football career after having a tumultuous conclusion to his time with the Browns and the Panthers.
Baker Mayfield isn’t slowing down his excitement of the future of OU football. He said today with @PlankShow:
“We’re going to be just fine, no matter what. I think it’s only going to get better and better as the days go on with him.” pic.twitter.com/Dy0FpCM8me
— The REF (@KREFsports) June 28, 2023
The Cleveland Browns and the Carolina Panthers both released Mayfield. For the final four games of the 2022 season, he joined the Rams in Los Angeles, but he was unable to secure a long-term position.
Even though his stay in LA was brief, he claimed that the “fun” he experienced during those few games rekindled his NFL career.
“I don’t think there is a player that is more loved by a fanbase than him” –@GabeIkard on Baker Mayfield pic.twitter.com/yMXQqj7hBl
— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) June 26, 2023
“I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. It was the first time I had fun playing football in a few years,” Mayfield said. “It brought that feeling of having that success and really remembering what it was all about, kind of hit the reset button for me.”
Mayfield had surgery to fix the labrum problem in January 2022. Deshaun Watson’s signing with the Browns two months later effectively put an end to Mayfield’s time in Cleveland.
BAKER MAYFIELD WAS SIGNED TO THE RAMS 2 DAYS BEFORE HE PLAYED THIS GAME. HE BARELY KNEW THE PLAYBOOK AT ALL. YET EVEN STILL HE HAD
22/35 COMPLETIONS 🤯🤯
230 YARDS 🔥🔥
1/0 TD TO INT 👀HE TORCHED THE LAS VEGAS RAIDERS 🏴☠️ AND MADE RAMS HOUSE. HIS HOUSE 🐏🐏🐏 pic.twitter.com/WOWNCGSAZO
— . (@ProfBallKnower) June 27, 2023
Mayfield was dealt by the Browns to the Panthers in July of last year, but he suffered a lot in Charlotte. With the Panthers, he took part in six games, only seeing victory once.
In the end, Mayfield was released by the Panthers in December. The Rams then picked him up off waivers and that’s when, according to Mayfield, his career reset began.
"The Bay" with @bakermayfield ⛳️
Full episode ➡️ https://t.co/D89DZHBvOw pic.twitter.com/UkPXZZH9ak
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) June 27, 2023
Mayfield threw for 850 yards and four touchdowns while participating in five games, starting four of them.
He claimed that this period revitalized his career.
Clemson’s first College Football Playoff game. 47-17 win over Baker Mayfield and the Sooners 👋 pic.twitter.com/CpX3eaatiJ
— Clemson Highlights (@ClemsonRT) June 27, 2023
“To be around a coach like Sean McVay and a bunch of other guys… to be around those guys and to be in that offense and now looking forward to being in Tampa because it’s a very similar system with our new offensive coordinator [David Canales],” Mayfield said.
In March of this year, Mayfield agreed to an 8.5 million dollar, one-year contract with Tampa Bay following his successful brief sample in Los Angeles.
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