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Baker Mayfield isn’t holding back his feelings about facing former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski twice next season. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback made it clear he’s circling those divisional matchups on his calendar after Stefanski was hired by the Atlanta Falcons.
Despite it being the offseason, Mayfield sounds ready to strap on his helmet right now for what appears to be anything but a friendly reunion.
The former No. 1 overall pick didn’t mince words about his lingering resentment toward Stefanski, particularly regarding how his departure from Cleveland was handled.
Failed is quite the reach pal. 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. https://t.co/jUUsYkvlOC
— Baker Mayfield (@bakermayfield) January 20, 2026
The friction stems from Mayfield’s unceremonious exit from Cleveland, where he spent four seasons after being drafted first overall in 2019 out of Oklahoma.
He’s carrying that chip on his shoulder to this day.
During his Browns tenure, Mayfield compiled respectable numbers – 14,125 passing yards with 92 touchdowns against 56 interceptions in 60 games. More importantly, he led Cleveland to its first playoff appearance since 2002 and first postseason victory since 2004.
Despite these accomplishments, the Browns traded him to Carolina for just a conditional fifth-round pick in July 2022 – a move that clearly still stings for the Heisman Trophy winner.
Mayfield’s career trajectory took a sharp turn after leaving Cleveland. His Panthers stint proved disappointing (1-5 as starter), but he showed flashes of his potential during a brief stay with the Los Angeles Rams. There, he completed 63.6% of his passes for 850 yards with 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions across four starts.
Since joining Tampa Bay as Tom Brady’s successor, Mayfield has flourished into the franchise quarterback many expected him to be coming out of college. He’s started all 17 games in three consecutive seasons while leading the Bucs to two playoff appearances.
The Falcons’ hiring of Stefanski now sets up what promises to be two emotionally charged divisional matchups next season – games that Mayfield is clearly anticipating with extra motivation.
