Over the course of just 48 hours, the Falcons-Buccaneers rivalry has gone from quietly simmering to full-on must-watch drama in the NFC South. And it’s not just about what’s happening on the field - it’s about the personalities, the coaching moves, and the kind of tension that fuels division rivalries for years.
It all kicked off Tuesday when Baker Mayfield, never one to hold back, took a direct shot at Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski. Mayfield aired out some lingering frustration over how things ended in Cleveland, specifically the silence he says he got from Stefanski after the team traded for Deshaun Watson and shipped him off to Carolina.
“Failed is quite the reach pal,” Mayfield posted on X (formerly Twitter). “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.”
That’s vintage Baker - fiery, unfiltered, and clearly still carrying a chip on his shoulder. But the bigger story, at least for the NFC South, came just two days later.
On Thursday morning, Adam Schefter reported that the Buccaneers are finalizing a deal to hire Zac Robinson as their new offensive coordinator - poaching him straight from division rival Atlanta, where he held the same role with the Falcons.
Now, depending on your perspective, this is either a bold move by Tampa Bay or a classic case of the Falcons getting burned by their own. Either way, it adds a whole new layer to a rivalry that suddenly feels a lot more personal.
Let’s talk about Robinson. His time in Atlanta was anything but smooth sailing.
The criticism he faced was warranted - the offense struggled to find rhythm, consistency, or identity for long stretches. But context matters, and Robinson never really had stable quarterback play to work with.
When Kirk Cousins was healthy early in the season, the Falcons’ offense looked sharp - efficient, balanced, and capable of putting up points. Robinson wasn’t catching much heat then.
But once Cousins went down, the team turned to rookie Michael Penix Jr., and things unraveled. Penix looked like a young quarterback thrown into the fire - flashes of potential, but clearly not ready to carry an NFL offense.
So how much of that offensive drop-off falls on Robinson’s shoulders? That’s the question we’re about to get a real answer to, because Tampa Bay is giving him a much more complete toolbox.
Let’s start with the quarterback. Baker Mayfield is coming off a season where he played like a top-10 QB.
He’s confident, experienced, and thrives when he feels like he has something to prove - which, let’s be honest, is pretty much always. The offensive line in Tampa is solid, and the wide receiver group?
You could make a strong case it’s the best in the league. Add in Bucky Irving, a dynamic young back with serious upside, and this offense is built to move.
If Robinson can even be a competent play-caller - not elite, just competent - this Buccaneers offense could be scary. Efficient, explosive, and tough to stop.
And if that happens, it’s going to sting for Atlanta fans. Not just because Robinson could succeed elsewhere, but because he’ll be doing it twice a year against the team that let him walk.
So yeah, this rivalry just got a lot more interesting. Not because of trash talk or highlight-reel plays - though there will probably be plenty of both - but because of the chess match that’s now unfolding between two teams trying to climb to the top of the same division.
The NFC South might not have the flashiest names, but don’t sleep on the storylines. The Falcons and Bucs are writing a new chapter, and it’s already got everything you want - revenge, redemption, and a whole lot of unfinished business.