Baker Mayfield has negative history with Kliff Kingsbury

Baker Mayfield has made headlines throughout his rise to prominence for holding grudges and having beefs with anyone who has crossed him. He has publicly expressed his negative thoughts towards his former Cleveland Browns head coach. He also has had a feud with a media personality. It all seems to have served him well as forms of motivation.

A hiring made this week by a rival NFL team reminds us of yet another beef he holds — one with Kliff Kingsbury, who was hired as the Arizona Cardinals’ head coach.

Mayfield is most well known for his time at Oklahoma, where he developed into a star and won the Heisman Trophy. Before that, he actually was a walk-on at Texas Tech and went 5-0 as a freshman for Kingsbury in 2013. But Mayfield injured his knee that season and was replaced by Davis Webb. Mayfield claims Kingsbury ghosted him after that, and when a scholarship didn’t come, he transferred to Oklahoma.

“It went from being ‘the guy’ for Coach Kingsbury to when I got hurt, it just changed a little bit … not a little bit, a lot,” Mayfield said last year. “All the sudden, it was as if I hadn’t played for him, hadn’t done anything for him. It was just different after I got hurt.”

Kingsbury responded by saying he had told Mayfield a scholarship was coming. He also was diplomatic, saying “I’ve always been a huge fan of Baker and loved working with him.”

When Kingsbury was hired by Arizona, his history of developing quarterbacks such as Mayfield, Webb, Case Keenum, Johnny Manziel and Patrick Mahomes was touted. When you hear that, just remember that Mayfield’s feelings towards Kingsbury aren’t all warm and fuzzy.