Baker Mayfield isn’t one to bite his tongue - and he’s not starting now.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback, who’s found a fresh start in Florida, took a not-so-subtle jab at his former head coach, Kevin Stefanski, after a comment resurfaced about his time in Cleveland. And let’s just say, Mayfield hasn’t forgotten how things ended with the Browns.
It all started when a Falcons beat writer described Mayfield as having “failed” during his time in Cleveland. That didn’t sit well with the former No. 1 overall pick, who fired back on social media - and made it personal.
“Failed is quite the reach pal,” Mayfield wrote 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.”
That “Coach” would be Stefanski, who was recently hired as the Atlanta Falcons’ new head coach after being let go by the Browns earlier this month. And now, thanks to the NFL schedule gods, Mayfield will get two chances a year to face the man he clearly feels left him in the cold.
But the exchange didn’t stop there. Browns legend and Hall of Famer Joe Thomas stepped in, offering a pointed reminder that communication works both ways.
“I could be wrong... but I’ve heard that communication is a 2-way street,” Thomas posted. “There were no laws against you (Baker) sending Stefanski a text or calling him after you got traded🧐.”
Let’s rewind for context. Mayfield was drafted first overall by Cleveland in 2018, and by 2020, things were looking up.
Under Stefanski’s leadership, the Browns went 11-5 and won a playoff game - their first in nearly three decades - with Mayfield playing efficient, confident football. But the momentum didn’t last.
In 2021, Mayfield battled through injuries and off-field noise, and the Browns’ season sputtered. By the following offseason, Cleveland had moved on - literally - trading Mayfield to the Carolina Panthers in 2022. The relationship between quarterback and coach never seemed to fully recover, and according to Mayfield, the silence from Stefanski after the trade still stings.
Fast forward to now: Stefanski is out in Cleveland after back-to-back losing seasons, including a 5-12 finish that sealed his fate. Meanwhile, Mayfield just wrapped up his first losing campaign with the Buccaneers, finishing 8-9 and missing out on the NFC South crown - a title Tampa Bay had owned for four straight years.
So, while both men are looking to bounce back in 2026, their paths are now intertwined in the NFC South. And judging by Mayfield’s comments, he’s already circling those Falcons matchups on the calendar.
This is more than just a quarterback with a chip on his shoulder - it’s personal. And if you know anything about Baker Mayfield, it’s that he plays his best when he’s got something to prove. With Stefanski now on the opposing sideline, don’t be surprised if those Bucs-Falcons games get a little extra spice this season.