Baker Mayfield led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 10-7 report and a division title in a career-best 12 months in 2024. Regardless of a disappointing early playoff exit, Mayfield’s efficiency has the franchise feeling assured getting into the 2025 season.
Mayfield earned a Professional Bowl choice and loads of reward from followers for his stellar marketing campaign final 12 months. However a Buccaneers legend dropped the last word endorsement on the eighth-year veteran.
Former Buccaneers cornerback Ronde Barber obtained along with Mayfield to look at movie and discuss soccer. And Barber gave his tackle the franchise and the quarterback.
“This can be a distinctive place. Tampa loves its soccer gamers and clearly loves its workforce however, you’re the right Buc, man. With out gamers such as you, it’s not the identical,” Barber informed Mayfield, through the workforce’s official X account.
The Buccaneers have embraced Baker Mayfield
“[It’s] not solely the participant you’re however the character you’re, the character that you just carry to the sport. You’re going to be beloved right here dude, it’s superior,” Barber added.
Baker is already feeling the love in Tampa Bay. After touchdown with the workforce in 2023 and reestablishing himself as a franchise quarterback, the workforce signed Mayfield to a three-year, $100 million extension.
The 30-year-old sign caller then topped his Buccaneers debut with a spectacular second season in Tampa Bay. Mayfield threw for 4,500 yards with 41 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in 2024. He added 378 speeding yards and three scores on the bottom.
After being chosen first total by the Cleveland Browns within the 2018 draft and spending his first 4 seasons with the workforce, Mayfield was discarded. Cleveland acquired Deshaun Watson in a commerce with the Texans after which handed him a $230 million, absolutely assured contract.
Mayfield was shipped to the Panthers and ended up on the Rams earlier than becoming a member of the Buccaneers and profitable the beginning job in 2023.
“Anytime you come to a spot that’s gained a number of championships, you take a look at the names on the wall. However then, the truth that you guys are all nonetheless concerned, says one thing about Tampa as a complete. It says one thing that, you guys wish to come again, you wish to be part of it. It wasn’t only a cease in your profession, it’s a chapter in your life that you just’re pleased with. And that’s what makes this place particular,” Mayfield stated to Barber.
He took a singular path however Mayfield has lastly discovered an NFL residence. Now, he’ll try to guide the workforce to its fifth straight division title and on to its first championship since Tom Brady was underneath heart in 2020.