Bad Initial Locker Room Reaction To Baker Mayfield?
July 10th, 2023
New Bucs QB Baker Mayfield.
Interesting timing by a former Buccaneer who dropped this take just days after he said he spoke to Devin White.
Joe will say up front that this chatter on FS1 is months old. Former Buccaneers running back and current FS1 analyst LeSean “Shady” McCoy was on the air with retired Bengals receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh talking about the Bucs replacing Tom Brady with Baker Mayfield.
McCoy doesn’t understand the Mayfield hype for a couple of reasons. First, he thinks Mayfield is no better than a quality, young and typical second-round pick of a quarterback, meaning he plays a safe game and needs a running attack to thrive.
But it was the second take that got Joe’s attention.
McCoy said Bucs players would not be eager to play with Mayfield because he’s not that good. McCoy stopped short of saying that’s what he was told by his former teammates, but he coincidentally mentioned he had just spoken to his buddy White and that he’s tight with Tampa Bay’s best receivers.
“I look at a guy like Mike Evans, Chris Godwin. I look at them dudes because I know them very well. Devin White, I was talking to him last week. And I’m thinking when you hear the news of Baker Mayfield coming to your team. Are you excited? Are you happy? Or are you like, ‘Why’d we get him? Eff, what are they doing?'” McCoy said. “That’s their reaction I feel like they get with Baker Mayfield.”
Again, intriguing timing for McCoy to drop that rant after saying he talked to White one week earlier. McCoy added that Mayfield “gets talked about [by media] more than actual good quarterbacks.”
Houshmandzadeh believes Mayfield is a legitimate starter and will be OK leading the Bucs.
In Houshmandzadeh’s mind, once you’ve led a team an entire season to winning record and a playoff win (see Mayfield 2020), then you’re a real-deal quarterback. It’s very difficult to do and should not be discounted, he said.
However, Houshmandzadeh was pressed by McCoy to say whether he thinks Mayfield is a good quarterback. “He’s solid. That’s a little lower than good,” he replied.
July 10th, 2023 at 6:37 pm
The Tape is tape.
His shoulder is done after that 2021 campaign. Granted before he wasn’t a great QB to begin with even when he played at his best.
Granted I guess that would be more on the browns being the browns then him. But results matter
July 10th, 2023 at 6:41 pm
Rumormongering?
July 10th, 2023 at 6:48 pm
Bucs have started worse QBs than Mayfield so I think the Bucs will be fine.
Mayfield is pretty average and with some sand lot football can be above average at times.
July 10th, 2023 at 6:53 pm
I think the WR’s probably think their game is going nowhere with Baker. ME probably sees his 1000 yard streak broken and wondering WTH Jason was thinking. CG probably thinks that this QB is going to get him hurt. A little lower than good” means he sucks.
Baker is a legitimate starter only for a no talent team. Bucs could still get Ryan or even Wentz if they want any chance to win. Agree with LeShawn, Baker is not good.
July 10th, 2023 at 7:00 pm
Mike has played with horrible QBs in his tenure on the Bucs. That never stopped him from getting 1000 yards. If he stays healthy–NO WORRIES! GO BUCS!
July 10th, 2023 at 7:05 pm
Cricket great point. ME13 rookie season he had mclown n glennon throwing him the ball. He was a rook and 2 bad QBs and still got it. No doubt in my mind if he stays healthy all year he will keep the streak alive
July 10th, 2023 at 7:28 pm
McCoy, the world’s greatest tipper!
July 10th, 2023 at 7:34 pm
Start Trask. Baker is who he is, an average at best QB, who needs everything around him to go right to just be decent. I’d honestly rather have Jameis back if Mayfield is the starter. Trust me, I want to eat crow, I just don’t see it! Usually 5 years is a big enough sample size to know what a player is.
July 10th, 2023 at 7:42 pm
Seems to me like McCoy just broke a cardinal rule: naming names & fanning negativity in the process. If I were White, Evans & Godwin, I’d be pissed at GMC referencing their names in his comments & making it sound like they were dissatisfied with Mayfield being signed to the QB pool. McCoy never did know how to keep his mouth shut.
July 10th, 2023 at 7:50 pm
^^^
July 10th, 2023 at 7:54 pm
Wrong McCoy
July 10th, 2023 at 8:04 pm
How the eff would Devin White know anything about Mayfield? He’s been riding his GD horses all offseason while Mayfield has been at One Buc from Day 1 busting his @ss!
Trade overhyped Devin White! He doesn’t want to be here.
July 10th, 2023 at 8:21 pm
Horrible take. “Gets more media attention then good QBs” no he doesn’t.
July 10th, 2023 at 8:22 pm
McCoy played for the team, like one season?
And that was a couple of seasons ago?
Really?
He’s an authority? Or just pimping for a talking head job?
July 10th, 2023 at 8:26 pm
First of all, T. J. Housh shouldn’t be throwing trash at anybody since his career was “solid” at best! Just another x-jock shooting his mouth off to get attention. Secondly, he was a Bengal for most of his career, and the Browns and Bengals hated each other. Lastly, I doubt that anyone on this site has seen Baker Mayfield play in more games than I have since I was a Browns fan for years. I’m telling you, this guy has all the tools and is really good. Just take a look at some of his highlight reels on YouTube. Unfortunately, he’s played with some crappy organizations. Give him a break already! Go Bucs.
July 10th, 2023 at 8:30 pm
T J Housh = Total Jackass Douche so Eff Him
July 10th, 2023 at 8:45 pm
McCoy just talks smack about everyone so people like Joe will keep his name on their tongue.
July 10th, 2023 at 8:56 pm
I BELIEVE BAKER MAYFIELD IS GOING TO PLAY LIGHTS OUT FOR THE BUCCANEERS THIS SEASON !..IF FOR SOME REASON HE CAN’T GO, KYLE TRASK WILL BE THE ONE THAT PLAYS LIGHTS OUT & LEADS THE BUCCANEERS TO THE DIVISION TITLE & THE PLAYOFFS..BOTH ARE EXCELLENT UNDERATED QUARTERBACKS & EITHER ONE IS MORE THAN CAPABLE OF GETTING THE JOB DONE….I HOPE IT’S BAKER IN A CLOSER THAN EXPECTED COMPETITION..I LIKE HIS “MOXIE” & HIS EXPERIENCE & FEEL IT’S HIS TIME TO FIND A PERMANENT HOME WITH THE LEADERSHIP ROLE OF MY TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS ! KYLE TRASK WILL SERVE AS A BACKUP WHO IS GOOD ENOUGH TO BE A STARTER ALSO..I SEE THEM BOTH LEARNING DAVE CANALES SYSTEM & BOTH BEING OFFERED CONTRACT EXTENSIONS BEFORE OR AFTER THE 2023 SEASON..
July 10th, 2023 at 8:57 pm
If the Bucs got Mayfield to give the appearance of trying to compete, while actually hoping to tank, that’s a pretty genius move by Licht. If, however, they truly believe he can get them to the playoffs, well, that is pretty wishful thinking right there.
July 10th, 2023 at 9:00 pm
LMAO. Welp, there goes all the hype about Moxie Mayfield. I’ve been saying since he was signed, “Why is he here?” “What is there to gain?” Nothing.
July 10th, 2023 at 9:01 pm
We’ve had far worse, don’t kid yourself. Do we need to re-live the agony of the lost decade?!
Baker is better than most of the qbs we’ve had back then.
July 10th, 2023 at 9:03 pm
THERE WILL BE NO NEED TO DRAFT A 1ST ROUND QUARTERBACK NEXT YEAR..WE HAVE THE MEN WE NEED ALREADY ON THE ROSTER..IF I SHOULD SEE ANY WEAKNESSES ON THIS ROSTER, I’LL LET YOU KNOW LATER DURING THE SEASON..
July 10th, 2023 at 9:04 pm
I agree with Jimmy. This is more of an indictment of Devin White than Baker Mayfield. He’s dangerously close to earning a moniker of “locker room cancer”.
Perhaps he can party with AB to pick up some pointers.
Meanwhile locker rooms do generally react to wanting the best player to start!
DUH!!! IF Mayfield is NOT the best player he WON’T start. What is so effing difficult to understand about that? The players, coaches, front office, fans ALL simply want to win!!!
So yeah if the job is given to Mayfield and he doesn’t outplay Trask then that could and should cause bad feelings. Again DUH! Just as it would be bad for the locker room if Mayfield plays better than Trask yet Trask starts because Licht spent a 2nd round pick, 64th overall and wants to see his pick provide a return on draft capital, or wants to please Gator fans! The BEST guys is who I want to see start!!!
Notice McCoy said nothing about leadership, popularity, difficulty gaining respect, only HIS opinion that Mayfield isn’t that good. Fine.
What is so freaking tough about simply waiting for camp and preseason to let this play out. Is Mayfield giving Bowles and Canalas BJ’s? Money? What strong connection does Mayfield have that would make both Bowles and Canalas jeopardize THEIR careers by starting the 2nd best QB? This is reaching levels of absurdity!!!!!
July 10th, 2023 at 9:08 pm
5 win season.
July 10th, 2023 at 9:09 pm
The receivers don’t like looking back and not seeing their quarterback. 😛
July 10th, 2023 at 9:24 pm
We’ve got 5+ years of film on Baker; he’s been on 4 teams now for a reason…
He’s above average at best; he was cheap, and JL is most likely banking on Baker providing excellent competition for Kyle which will most likely be his last attempt to save his career…Baker will not start for this team; it’s Kyle’s job to lose.. if he does beat out Kyle then JL whiffed again at drafting a QB…
July 10th, 2023 at 9:42 pm
Of the free agent qb’s available, which one(s) would have been better than Baker at $4 mil?
July 10th, 2023 at 9:46 pm
Buccos … Good catch; my bad. GMC’s name keeps popping up lately & I missed para 2 where Joe said clearly that it was ‘Shady’ McCoy. Jumped straight to the ‘McCoy said Bucs players would not be eager to play with Mayfield because he’s not that good’ part & never looked back. Duh.
July 10th, 2023 at 9:49 pm
Anybody who watches Football knows Baker Mayfields credentials are weak. He is going to have to prove himself to Buc mainstays and ballers. He must earn their respect. And he starts the season at lets say 1-5 or 2-6? He is done. Nobody is goping to give instant respect to a player who has played for 3 teams in a short career and done absolutely nothing. Its just that simple.
July 10th, 2023 at 9:50 pm
LOL Joe is good at this. Hard sell on Baker then tease Trask.
Joe I’m telling you its going to be Trask and we’ll all better for it. We finally got our young prototype franchise QB. Embrace it when it happens Joe.
July 10th, 2023 at 9:51 pm
Guess we’ll see.
July 10th, 2023 at 9:54 pm
Like I’ve said all along, Mayfield was brought here to back up Trask. No one wants Mayfield starting for the Buc, ESPECIALLY the players.
July 10th, 2023 at 10:06 pm
These stories are dirt i know its slow but god quit the gossip crap
July 10th, 2023 at 10:31 pm
Baker Mayfield career record is 33-39 even when playing with the best running game, great defense, and two rockstar receivers because he’s a bottom tier quarterback. No way we’ll have a winning record at the end of the season with this loser
July 10th, 2023 at 10:45 pm
If everyone focuses on doing there job .they will be fine I loved brady but at the end he turned into a drama queen . Every week it was as brady would turns . Then you had ab drama , I still think he was paid to quit on bucs
July 10th, 2023 at 11:18 pm
Joebucsfan is now the FOX NEWS of Bucs fb.
July 10th, 2023 at 11:29 pm
When I hear/read about how bad a quarterback Baker supposedly is. I look to see what QB has replaced him in the system and done better?
Cleveland? – Not yet.
Carolina? – Not yet.
LA Rams? – TBD
Now if SpongeBob was still around, then I would drink the kool-aid.
July 10th, 2023 at 11:38 pm
Mayfield on a prove it deal… I think there’s a chance he can succeed. Given incentive to get paid… kinda like Fitzmagic with the Jets 1st season. I’m ready.
July 10th, 2023 at 11:44 pm
START JOHN WOLFORD!
July 10th, 2023 at 11:48 pm
For those that have high aspirations for the Bucs this year this next question should add some perspective. Name the last QB not named Tom Brady and the year that same QB won a playoff game for the Bucs.
July 11th, 2023 at 12:00 am
I think no matter who wins the job, it will be Trask by years end. He may still win the job. He could play really good in the preseason. And I don’t think Mayfield was ever great, but I do think he had a promising career that got destroyed by playing in ’21 injured. Before the injury I felt a team could have won a SB with him.
July 11th, 2023 at 1:46 am
stpetebucfan Says:
July 10th, 2023 at 9:04 pm
“I agree with Jimmy. This is more of an indictment of Devin White than Baker Mayfield. He’s dangerously close to earning a moniker of “locker room cancer”.”
McCoy didn’t say White felt that way. He said he saw him a week before Mayfield came. Really, White had nothing to do with it. McCoy just name dropped for credence.
July 11th, 2023 at 4:37 am
Beware Bucs fans!
They now have an army of paid mercenary former players who will spout enough BS to give you serious health problems.
Now to the news in sports.
Go Bucs!
July 11th, 2023 at 7:05 am
I’m hoping Baker is the next Rich Gannon. His career was over until Gruden turned his career around. Maybe history repeats itself with Canales and Baker. If not, maybe Trask gets his shot, and runs with it. If not, let’s worry about it next year. These are the QBs we got. Lets get behind them.
July 11th, 2023 at 7:50 am
I would pick Baker anyday before Carson Wentz he hasn’t done anything remember it was nick foles that got eagles a championship
July 11th, 2023 at 8:23 am
Heck, if Tampa had consistent solid/good QB play all season they would have been back in the playoffs.
Not sure why most media outlets think Tampa is done just because Tom retired… we have pieces and we have special players. Now we need to have health and luck and we will be just fine. Is Baker long term answer? We don’t know, but due to financial situation, going into this season we probably shouldn’t ask that question.
July 11th, 2023 at 9:13 am
Except for a Playoff Win in a season where Atlanta went 13-3 and the Saints went 11-5 it brings to mind Josh Freeman. Freeman goes 10-6, 11-24 the next two, and is done in Tampa.
July 11th, 2023 at 9:29 am
Pretty sure everyone on this roster knows baker is a stop gap until we draft a real QB in Aprils draft. This is just a year to get the books in order from the superbowl win.
July 11th, 2023 at 10:09 am
As a Browns fan let me warn you all now. Baker is average on a good day. Yall are excited? Did you forget that with the Browns he had Jarvis Landey, OBJ, Njoku, Hunt, and Chubb. Had a top rated line. Everybody talks about the big playoff win. Forgetting Ben threw 5 picks, and they spotted the Browns 28 points, and it came down to an onside kick. Baker doesn’t throw guys open. Baker can’t see the passing lanes. He also has a 3 step, left, turn and sprint. His first and 2nd year it worked. Than they got tape on him. Baker wins you maybe 7 since your division is trash.
July 11th, 2023 at 1:47 pm
GMC chillout dude
July 11th, 2023 at 2:37 pm
Scrolling through these comments it’s painfully obvious that more than half of you regular posters don’t know sht about Mayfield. Guy can play. Two of the top three all time seasons in college football history. Record for most TDs as a rookie without playing in all games. Leads Browns to their first winning season and playoffs in 2 decades. Nearly gunned down the Chiefs in KC to get to title game.
Laid it on the line and played hurt through 2021 season. Think I’ll just rely on what Shaun Mcvey and Lincoln Riley think about him as a QB.
July 11th, 2023 at 2:49 pm
Jack Clark knows NOTHING: Baker had NO great defense. An O line always hurt. Running backs always hurt and a terrible coach. What team was HE not watching .
July 11th, 2023 at 4:11 pm
Who in the world do people think the Bucs could have gotten instead of Mayfield that was any better – especially for the money?
Carr has roughly the same interception ratio as Mayfield and the Bucs never could have afforded him.
Aaron Rodgers? Who even knows if he’s going to play again after this season? Plus, his salary makes Carr look like a bargain.
Garoppolo? Yeah, I’d take him over Mayfield but chances aren’t great that he stays on the field all season and again, the Bucs couldn’t afford him.
Or, are they thinking that the castoffs that NOBODY wants that are still teamless are better options – Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan, Teddy Bridgewater (another Carolina castoff), Joe Flacco, Nick Foles …
Really?
July 11th, 2023 at 5:10 pm
Scotty Mack. Ten four. The Bucs did well getting baker imo.
July 12th, 2023 at 1:16 pm
I would like to say a few things. 1st why not try and support your guy? If he doesn’t play well then let him hear it? 2nd are you telling me that a horrible quarterback can get lucky and complete 21 passes in a row with the 22nd being a spike in an NFL game. Was the Rams comeback win against the Raiders just luck. Surely you are all smarter than that. I love Baker I’m a Sooner fan above all so yes I am a little prejudice but facts are facts. You can’t do the things I mentioned before without the ability. I think consistency is what he hasn’t shown and that is mostly on him. Support him and you may be pleasantly surprised!
July 13th, 2023 at 4:07 pm
Football is a team game, and the coaches have as much to do with success as the players do. According to SI, Mayfield is the greatest college QB since 2000. IF he has a good team, good coaches, and doesn’t have to play the entire season with a torn shoulder, all of the Baker haters are going to look incredibly stupid. This kid can ball!!!
July 13th, 2023 at 4:23 pm
Ps, some folks on here have commented that his arm strength is questionable. They are obviously clueless. He has a rocket for an arm. I encourage these folks to do a little research before they post nonsense. He can throw a frozen rope up to 35 yards, and he can throw a Josh Allen- like bomb, too. He can make any throw as good as anyone. (Watch his and Mahomes record-setting passing duel in college.) My point here is this: Know what you’re actually talking about before you make a post. (I’m a school teacher; I teach my students not to make claims unless they can back it up. I wish I’d been able to teach some of these folks in HS.)