Baker Mayfield didn’t hide how he felt heading into Tampa Bay’s Week 3 meeting with the Jets last season. The Buccaneers quarterback made it plain in Netflix’s third season of “Quarterback” that the game carried extra weight because of Steve Wilks, the former Panthers coach who had been in his path before.
“This is personal for me,” Mayfield said before the game. “[Steve] Wilks cut me.
(Expletive) him. Let's go.”
At the time, Wilks was the Jets’ defensive coordinator, but the connection ran back to Mayfield’s brief stay in Carolina. Wilks had been the Panthers’ defensive coordinator during that stretch, then became interim head coach after Matt Rhule was fired in the 2022 season. By the time Tampa Bay met New York in Week 3, the two were on opposite sidelines, and the tension was still there.
Mayfield said he felt the lack of honesty in how things were handled in Carolina.
“I could tell that I was not his favorite, which is fine, but the only thing you can ask for in this business is to be upfront and honest,” Mayfield said. “Its the National Football League.
Its a man's game. Just tell guys how it is.”
He added that when he was told he was going to be inactive or released, he wanted clarity.
“I was like, 'Listen, if you want me to ask for my release, I'll say it, but if you're going to cut me just tell me that.' He's [Wilks] ultimately the one who made that decision, that I wasn't gonna be active, I wasn't going to be playing anymore and I know that.”
Mayfield’s Carolina run was rough by the numbers, as he went 1-5 with a career-low 57.8% completion percentage. He also had limited time to get ready and, as he described it, was even being used almost mockingly as a scout team defensive tackle in practice.
Still, the old frustration gave the matchup a clear edge. “When you face people that you have, whether a good or bad relationship with, you always want to beat them,” Mayfield said.
Tampa Bay did exactly that. The Buccaneers escaped with a 29-27 win on Chase McLaughlin’s field goal as time expired, capping a gritty finish and pushing the team to 3-0.
During the kick, Mayfield was caught on camera repeating, “Come on God, come on Chase,” as he watched the final play unfold.
Afterward, when asked about the extra juice that came with facing head coach Todd Bowles’ former team, Mayfield made the motivation clear again.
“I loved it. And it's also, their D-coordinator was the one who cut me in Carolina, so a lot of stuff was personal.”
Mayfield finished with 233 passing yards and a touchdown, and he added 44 yards on the ground. Wilks was later relieved of his duties after the season and recently took a job at Appalachian State, his alma mater.
For Mayfield, it was one of those games that meant more than the standings. He got his shot at the man who had cut him loose, and the Buccaneers walked away with the win.
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