Mike Florio issues advice to Baker Mayfield ahead of make-or-break season with Bucs - “Just needs to be humble”
Baker Mayfield's NFL career got a huge boost last year once he signed with the Los Angeles Rams at the end of the season and got to play under Sean McVay. The former first-overall pick enjoyed some good games that netted him a deal and a new chance with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers following Tom Brady's retirement.
Reports coming out of Tampa Bay say that the Buccaneers have been impressed with Mayfield, who has a legit shot of being the starter in Week 1. Mike Florio, the lead analyst for Pro Football Talk, discussed on NFL on NBC what the quarterback should do to remain in the league:
“He shared that punk demeanor, that entitled jerk mean, gratuitous, nasty edge that he had to him rebel without a cause, whatever cliche you want to use. He got away from that. I think he's learned that that doesn't serve him well. He just needs to be humble. He needs to keep quiet.”
Why did Baker Mayfield struggle in Cleveland?
Cleveland amassed a 17-13 record in his 30 games. They also had their first playoff win since the franchise was reestablished in a major upset over the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 2020 playoffs.
The Browns had some interesting things on offense, but they were never more than an average team passing the ball. If you look only at his numbers, you won't really be impressed with Mayfield throughout this period. He threw 43 touchdowns, but also 21 interceptions, and the Browns were never a real threat to AFC powerhouses such as the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills.
But Mayfield represented much more than that. With his ultra-confident personality - and some cockiness, to be fair - he reignited the confidence of a franchise that had been suffering for a long time. He was the face of a resurgent team looking to leave behind two decades of complete malaise.