The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' latest thrilling victory came with a little more meaning for Baker Mayfield, who led the game-winning field-goal drive to deliver a 29-27 win over the New York Jets.
Asked about the significance of the victory over New York, where his coach Todd Bowles was fired and linebacker Haason Reddick had a contract standoff last year, Mayfield noted that Gang Green's current defensive coordinator, Steve Wilks, once cut him.
"I loved it," Mayfield said, via ESPN. "And also their D-coordinator was the one that cut me in Carolina. Lot of stuff was personal today. Haason Reddick, former Jet ... lot of people."
The Jets fired Bowles in 2018 after he put up a 24-40 record. Reddick experienced a bitter holdout in New York in 2024.
Mayfield's bitterness toward Wilks stems from the QB's time with the 2022 Carolina Panthers. Wilks, who took over as the interim head coach, planned to make Mayfield the No. 3 QB behind P.J. Walker and Sam Darnold. Instead, the sides agreed to Mayfield's release. He landed in Los Angeles under Sean McVay, and the career rejuvenation was on.
Mayfield has earned back-to-back Pro Bowl nods in Tampa and has the Bucs out to a 3-0 record for the first time since 2005.
The 30-year-old quarterback has been sensational through three games, proving unflappable even when things turn bad, like the special teams unit giving up the late lead on a blocked field goal touchdown.
Sunday, Mayfield calmly diced up New York's defense to get the Bucs back into field goal range. He became the fourth QB since 2000 with three game-winning drives in his team's first three games of the season -- others include: the Eagles' Nick Foles (2014), the Falcons' Matt Ryan (2015) and the Titans' Ryan Tannehill (2020).
"There's nobody I'd rather have than Baker right in the two-minute drill at the end," offensive lineman Ben Bredeson said.
The Bucs won despite a MASH-unit offensive line, missing three starters. Already without wideouts Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan, Mayfield lost star receiver Mike Evans in the fourth quarter due to a hamstring injury. None of it stopped the QB from making plays to earn his team the win.
"He's a natural-born leader," rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka said. "Someone who is willing to die on the field before giving up or shutting down. I think it's pretty special to have someone like that at the helm of your offense and at the helm of your team, so we're in good hands."
Mayfield is in Tampa Bay in part because, once upon a time, Wilks dismissed the quarterback. It's part of Mayfield's incredible comeback arc.
