Things look a lot different for Baker Mayfield this July than they did a year ago.
Mayfield was coming off a two-year run that saw him spend time with the Browns, Panthers, and Rams. He had a couple of memorable moments playing out the string with the Rams, but the bulk of his play was at a much lower level and he signed a one-year deal with the Buccaneers in hopes of turning things back around.
Expectations were low to kick off the season, but Mayfield threw a career-high 28 touchdowns and led the Buccaneers to a division title and a playoff win before landing a three-year contract extension after the season. During an appearance on The Mike Calta Show, Mayfield said he “couldn’t be happier” with how things played out.
“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. “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 also found playoff success in Cleveland during the 2020 season, but things went south the next year to start the “dirty laundry” phase of his career. Sustaining what worked last year will be the best way to avoid any future moves around the league.