Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield has seen a lot since entering the league in 2018 as the first-overall pick. However, life in the NFL hasn’t always been great — quite the contrary.
Playing for one of the worst teams in recent memory, the Cleveland Browns, Mayfield had a tough go to start his career. After his rookie contract with the Cleveland Browns, he spent time with the Carolina Panthers, where things also didn’t work out. Talking to “Good Morning Football’s” Kyle Brandt in an interview, Mayfield opened up about a turning point in his career.
Baker Mayfield Opens Up About the Turning Point in His Career
Brandt posted his interview with Mayfield on X on Sunday, where he asked the quarterback whether he had ever reached a point in his career where he questioned his life decisions regarding football, mentioning how Hall of Famer Kurt Warner had.
“For me, I don’t know if it got to that point,” Mayfield answered. “I think it was close to that. And the refreshing part was the end of ’22 when I got to LA. You know, I got released by the Panthers, go to LA. Found the joy in playing football in LA with [Sean] McVay and learning from those guys.”
My full, Director’s Cut interview with Baker Mayfield
-His critics warming up to him
-The former team that made him fat
-Watching the Browns from afar
-What he loves & hates in media
-Why he’s not for everybodySo much more. Baker is the man. pic.twitter.com/W74FBmOHOf
— Kyle Brandt (@KyleBrandt) October 26, 2025
He elaborated on the situation he walked into with the LA Rams that year.
“We had nothing to lose,” he continued. “I had five games with them before I went into free agency. I had five games to learn from them. They weren’t going to the playoffs. I wasn’t doing anything. I didn’t know where that next chapter was gonna be… How can I just hit the reset button? Find that love in playing football, and go from there.”
He capped off the story by jokingly mentioning how fat he got in LA.
“I got pretty fat out there. About two months of hotel food.” Mayfield’s stats during his time in LA underscore his statement that they “had nothing to lose.”
He started four games and went 1-3 while completing 63.6% of his passes. However, he showed some optimism in Coach McVay’s offense, throwing for 850 yards, four touchdowns, and two picks.
He took that small momentum to Tampa in 2023 and never looked back, having started every single game since. He has taken the Bucs to the playoffs every season he’s been in Florida and looks to do the same again this year, with the team leading the NFC South.
