Quarterback Baker Mayfield went from feeling "like a piece of dirty laundry" in late 2022 to serving as the undisputed leader of a Tampa Bay Buccaneers side that he guided to back-to-back division titles.
Current NFL analyst Michael Vick knows a thing or two about experiencing ultimate highs and significant lows as a pro. During a recent appearance on Tampa Bay sports radio station WDAE, Vick discussed Mayfield's NFL journey.
"I might sound biased when I sit right here because I’m a big fan of quarterback play," Vick explained, as shared by the JoeBucsFan website. "So I watch the guys around the league. I watch their process. I watch them go from rookie to 10-year player. And when I look at a guy like Baker, I’m just extremely proud of him because of the adversity."
The Cleveland Browns made Mayfield the first pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, and he later led that team to a playoff appearance and to a postseason win in January 2021. However, both Cleveland and the Carolina Panthers discarded Mayfield in 2022, and some thought that his career was in jeopardy when the 2023 Buccaneers were 4-7.
Of course, Mayfield ultimately played well enough from December 2023 through the subsequent postseason tournament to earn a new three-year contract that he signed last March. He then finished this season ranked third in the NFL with 4,500 passing yards and tied for second with 41 passing touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Vick was a multi-time Pro Bowl selection when his involvement in a dogfighting ring cost him years of his career. He eventually returned to the league and won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award for the 2010 season.
"Somebody asked the question about being a champion, and when you get knocked down you get back up. We’ve seen Baker down plenty of times to a point we didn’t even think Baker was ever going to be a starter ever again," Vick added during the radio interview. " …Two back-to-back playoff seasons and that’s amazing. And so, [the Bucs] didn’t miss a beat when Tom [Brady] left."
Mayfield has come a long way from having to sign a one-year "prove it" deal with Tampa Bay in March 2023. If he continues to improve during what should be the prime of his career, he could be an absolute steal for the Buccaneers through at least the expiration of his existing contract.
