Baker Mayfield offers explanation for his success with Buccaneers

Aug 26, 2023; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) looks on against the Baltimore Ravens during the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

Baker Mayfield had a career resurgence with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season, and feeling wanted appears to have been a big part of it.

The Buccaneers quarterback entered 2023 with low expectations, but that was not what helped him to a surprisingly excellent season. Instead, he told “The Mike Calta Show” recently that simply being made to feel like the Buccaneers trusted him was a huge factor in his resurgence.

“You’re having a lot more fun when you’re not getting shipped off to different places like a piece of dirty laundry, I’ll tell you that,” Mayfield said, via Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. “So when I got embraced in Tampa, it made a world of difference. I’ve always played ball to enjoy it. I mean, it is a game. Yes, it is my job, but I love it so much.”

Mayfield seemed very comfortable with the Cleveland Browns after a 2020 season that saw him guide the team to a playoff win. His play declined in 2021, starting a tumultuous stretch in which he spent time with two different teams in 2022. He was largely a reclamation project for the Buccaneers in 2023, but the team committed to him early and were rewarded with a career-high 28 touchdown passes.

In the wake of his strong season, Mayfield has a new contract. At least in the short-term, his days of being a “piece of dirty laundry” are clearly behind him.