Why Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield felt like 'a piece of dirty laundry'

During a recent appearance on 102.5 The Bone's "The Mike Calta Show," Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield once again discussed being discarded by both the Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers in 2022.

"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 about his Tampa Bay tenure, as shared by the JoeBucsFan website. "So when I got embraced in Tampa, it made a world of difference."

The Browns made Mayfield the first pick of the 2018 NFL Draft but controversially replaced him with former Houston Texans starter Deshaun Watson in March 2022. Cleveland traded Mayfield to Carolina several months later, but he and the Panthers agreed to part ways in December 2022.

Following a brief stint with the Los Angeles Rams, Mayfield inked a one-year "prove it" contract with the Buccaneers in March 2023. He ultimately became a Comeback Player of the Year Award finalist last season and then guided Tampa Bay to a home playoff victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. In March, Mayfield passed on testing free agency and instead signed a new three-year deal to stay with the Bucs.

"I’ve always played ball to enjoy it," Mayfield continued. "I mean, it is a game. Yes, it is my job, but I love it so much. So I’ve always worn my emotions on my sleeve and so, let people embrace that. And that’s why I’m so excited for having more years to come in Tampa for people to just get to know me a little bit better, truly realize that’s not just a show on the field. That’s who I am when it comes to the football aspect."

Mayfield said he'd "do anything for our team, and our locker room guys know that." Teammates have routinely praised Mayfield over the past 16 months or so for the leadership and "contagious" qualities he has brought to the organization, and it sounds like he's found a true home with the fourth club of his NFL career.

With that said, he may have to build upon his performances from last season to stay atop Tampa Bay's depth chart through next summer.