Baker Mayfield, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2018, has had an up-and-down pro football career.
The 28-year-old has played five seasons in the league and will suit up for his fourth NFL team when the 2023 season kicks off in September.
After a turbulent end to his tenures with the Browns and the Panthers, Mayfield revealed that he was about to reboot his football career last season.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers newly signed Quarterback Baker Mayfield addresses the media at the AdventHealth Training Center in Tampa, Florida, March 20, 2023. (Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Last December, the Los Angeles Rams claimed Mayfield off waivers from the Carolina Panthers.
Mayfield’s tenure with the Rams appears to have been exactly what he needed at the time. The quarterback also expressed about moving into the next chapter of his career with the Buccaneers.
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“I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. It was the first time I had fun playing football in a few years,” Mayfield said when he spoke about his stint with the Rams during a media call. “It brought that feeling of having that success and really remembering what it was all about, Kind of hit the reset button for me.”
In 2020, Mayfield helped lift the Browns to its first postseason win in more than two decades, but his relationship with the organization quickly soured.
Mayfield’s production for the 2021 season began to decline after he suffered a torn labrum, which further complicated his situation in Cleveland.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
In January 2022, Mayfield underwent a surgery to correct the labrum issue. Two months later, Deshaun Watson announced that he was signing with the Browns — essentially ending Mayfield’s tenure in Cleveland.
Last July, the Browns traded Mayfield to the Panthers, but he largely struggled during his time in Charlotte. He played in six games with the Panthers, winning only one of those contests.
The Panthers ultimately parted ways with Mayfield in December. The Rams then picked him up off waivers and that’s when, according to Mayfield, his career reset began.
Baker Mayfield, #17 of the Los Angeles Rams, passes during the second quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on Jan. 8, 2023 in Seattle. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Mayfield took over the starting quarterback duties in Los Angeles for four games in place of an injured Matthew Stafford. He delivered an overall solid performance, passing for 850 yards during his five appearances.
“To be around a coach like Sean McVay and a bunch of other guys… to be around those guys and to be in that offense and now looking forward to being in Tampa because it’s a very similar system with our new offensive coordinator [David Canales],” Mayfield said.
He signed a one-year contract with the Bucs earlier this offseason. Mayfield is now competing with former Florida standout for the starting quarterback position.
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Mayfield is excited about his fresh start in Tampa Bay
“Revitalized,” he said. “I’m really excited and pumped up and just looking forward to the future.”
