Tampa Bay Buccaneers Quarterback Baker Mayfield Unloads On Former Head Coach Kevin Stefanski
If there is one absolute truth in the National Football League, it is this: Baker Mayfield never forgets. He keeps receipts. In fact, he probably has a filing cabinet full of them stored somewhere in his locker at Raymond James Stadium.
The man plays with a chip on his shoulder the size of a boulder, and frankly, that’s exactly why Tampa Bay loves him. But this week, that chip got a little bigger when the Atlanta Falcons announced they were hiring former Cleveland Browns Head Coach Kevin Stefanski.
Breaking Down the Situation
The NFC South rivalry was already simmering, but Mayfield just turned the burner all the way up to “scorched earth.” It all started innocently enough when Atlanta beat writer D. Orlando Ledbetter commented on the Stefanski hire. Ledbetter tossed out a brutal assessment of the situation Stefanski left behind in Cleveland, calling the quarterback room a “dumpster fire” and explicitly stating that Mayfield and Deshaun Watson “failed.”
Mayfield wasn’t going to let that slide. But in true Mayfield fashion, he didn’t just clap back at the reporter. He used the opportunity to take a sniper shot at his old boss.
Mayfield Fires Back
It took less than an hour for the Bucs’ quarterback to see the post and choose violence.
“Failed is quite the reach pal,” Mayfield fired off on X. “Still waiting on a text/call from him after I got shipped off like a piece of garbage. Can’t wait to see you twice a year, Coach.”
This isn’t just standard athlete trash talk; this is deep-seated, personal resentment. The “shipped off like garbage” line paints a vivid picture of how the quarterback views his 2022 exit from Cleveland. It sounds less like a professional roster move and more like a bad breakup where one person gets ghosted after moving in together.
The irony here is rich. Stefanski and Mayfield were once the duo that saved Cleveland. In 2020, they combined forces to drag the Browns to an 11-5 record and a playoff win over the Steelers—the franchise’s first postseason victory in 26 years. He threw for over 3,500 yards that year. It looked like a marriage built to last.
The Bad Blood In Cleveland Runs Deep
So, where did it go wrong? If you ask Mayfield, the betrayal happened the moment the Browns started flirting with Deshaun Watson.
The 2021 season was a disaster, largely because Mayfield tried to play through a torn labrum. His performance dipped, the team struggled, and the front office, Stefanski included, started looking for an upgrade. They traded the farm for Watson and handed him a fully guaranteed $230 million contract.
Mayfield was left in limbo, eventually traded to the Carolina Panthers in July 2022 for a bag of peanuts.
Based on his recent comments, it’s clear he feels Stefanski never gave him the courtesy of a proper goodbye. No “thanks for the playoff win,” no “good luck in Carolina.” Just radio silence. And clearly, Mayfield is still checking his phone three years later.
A Revitalized Mayfield Ready For Revenge
While Cleveland has been stuck on a quarterback carousel, Mayfield has found a true home in Tampa Bay. He’s earned Pro Bowl nods, won the division, and revitalized his reputation from a “bridge quarterback” to a legitimate franchise leader. He’s playing loose, he’s playing confident, and most importantly, he’s playing angry.
Now, he gets to channel that anger directly at the man he believes wronged him. The Falcons’ hiring of Stefanski adds a delicious layer of drama to the NFC South. Atlanta has a young, talented roster that has underachieved for years. They are banking on Stefanski to bring that offensive wizardry to Atlanta. But standing directly in his path, twice a season, will be the guy he traded away.
Does Mayfield hold a grudge? absolutely. Is it petty? Maybe. But is it going to make for must-watch television when the Bucs play the Falcons next season? You better believe it.
