“He Plays Quarterback Like A Linebacker”
May 30th, 2025
Baker Mayfield fan.
Joe often types that players take on the personality of their coach. And so too can a team take on the personality of its quarterback.
The Bucs were a physical team last year. The only got beaten up in one game, against perhaps the most physical team in the league, the Crows. The Bucs were alley-beaten and had their lunch money taken away (Mike Evans and Chris Godwin got hurt).
Look how the Bucs played physical against another physical team like Detroit.
Look how the Bucs traveled across the country and squared up with another physical team like the Chargers — and punched them right in the mouth.
The Bucs were even physical against the Chiefs and held their own against a wannabe bully like the 49ers.
Could that be because the Bucs have a physical quarterback in Baker Mayfield? Joe often hears people say Mayfield has an offensive lineman mentality. That’s possible. Just look who Mayfield hangs with the most on his team: offensive linemen.
Mayfield and Tristan Wirfs are tight. And when Mayfield sprung for a brunch to welcome first-round pick Emeka Egbuka to town, who tagged along with Mayfield? Four starting offensive linemen.
Lavonte David sees Mayfield a little differently. While speaking to Kay Adams on her weekday show, “Up and Adams.” seen on FanDuel TV, a lightbulb lit up for David. In the middle of speaking highly about Mayfield, David figured out why he likes Mayfield so much.
Because, per David, Mayfield has a linebacker’s mentality.
When Mayfield makes a physical play, especially for a first down, the Bucs’ bench immediately gets charged up.
That happened in Mayfield’s first Bucs game in Minnesota. He ran for a key first down conversion by running over a cornerback, which helped sparked a win. In the background, Devin White and David could be seen going bananas on the sidelines. And sometimes, David confessed to Adams, he goes too bananas for Mayfield.
“I almost ran on the field to celebrate with him,” David said. “I remember [Todd] Bowles telling me to get back. That’s how excited I was.
“He plays quarterback like a linebacker — that’s what it is. That’s why I like it.”
Joe loves this style of play from Mayfield. But Joe also gets what Bucs quarterback coach Thad Lewis said recently. Mayfield is now 30, and 30-year-old bodies cannot handle the same punishment as 25-year-olds.
Lewis wants Mayfield to throw more passes away to save his body. The Bucs must have a healthy Mayfield in January if they hope to do anything in the postseason.
Problem is, if you force Mayfield to play safe, does that take away the edge that makes him such a good quarterback?
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) May 29, 2025
May 30th, 2025 at 4:25 am
Joe … ‘Problem is, if you force Mayfield to play safe, does that take away the edge that makes him such a good quarterback?’
Great question to end with Joe, and I think the answer is YES. Let Baker be Baker.
May 30th, 2025 at 5:29 am
We got our dog at QB, everything else will follow
May 30th, 2025 at 6:23 am
Mayfield is a competitor who wants to win. It’s hard to try to hold that back. Plus, we’ve had statue QBs. Baker keeps the defense guessing.
May 30th, 2025 at 6:23 am
Where are the camp notes Joe!
May 30th, 2025 at 7:48 am
He can throw the ball then slam the shoulders of an o lineman in the huddle to keep his physical attitude. But sometimes he will forget so pick-up one of the Browns qb cast offs after labor day.
May 30th, 2025 at 7:50 am
With all the experience he gets playing defense after his interceptions maybe Bowles can plug him in at Nickel in a pinch.
May 30th, 2025 at 8:08 am
He doesn’t take that many hits. And when he runs, he delivers the hit as often as he takes it.
Don’t change.
May 30th, 2025 at 8:40 am
Let bulls be bulls. Baker is Baker.
Pass rushers are pass rushers.
May 30th, 2025 at 9:36 am
You forgot It is what it is.
May 30th, 2025 at 10:27 am
YES! EVeryone is RIGHT!! LET BAKER BE BAKER!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HIS EDGE SHOULD NOT BE MESSED WITH!!!!!!!! NOW, JOE! TELL THAD LEWIS 2 QUIT TRYING 2 CHANGE him and GRIZZ needs 2 get him pumped up like Licht does-NOT TRY 2 slow him down!! Work on even HIGHER COMPLETIONS AND ZERO INTERCEPTS!!!!!!!
May 30th, 2025 at 10:27 am
Let Mayfield be Mayfield, and let the chips fall as they may…
May 30th, 2025 at 12:00 pm
That’s a hard line to play between. That’s really what’s makes mayfield and if you take that away from him I doubt he’s the same QB. This right here is why I believe a QB can’t just be a run around gimmick kinda of guy cause one day they won’t be able to just run around. Look at TB12 he was able to play mid 40s cause he was a precision passer and can stand in the pocket IF it was clean and deliver all day now when it broke down he threw it away or grounded it. The Lamar Jackson and bakers won’t play till there 45 if they run around like that well into their 30s. Father Time will come and take there legs out so they better have a dam good arm and be accurate.
May 30th, 2025 at 12:26 pm
I am not a big fan of quarterbacks who play like linebackers nor linebackers who play like quarterbacks, neither work in the long run, quarterbacks who play like linebackers tend to lead the league in turnovers , get sacked a lot , or fumble and throw interceptions at critical times in playoffs , while linebackers who play like quarterbacks , miss tackles, are reluctant to stick their heads into short yardage plays or get hurt a lot , neither situation works the way it should and ends up hurting their team’s. ( Brady never played like a linebacker and Butkus never played like a quarterback and both were unquestionably GOAT’s at their positions).
May 30th, 2025 at 12:32 pm
Thank goodness we aren’t all alike!!!
May 30th, 2025 at 12:40 pm
Apparently professional football players and coaches like a quarterback that plays like a linebacker because players are wanting to play at Tampa in order to play with Baker and the coaches aren’t talking about replacing the quarterback that plays like a linebacker. I doubt it will change much. You can take the dog out of the fight, but you can’t take the fight out of the dog.
May 30th, 2025 at 3:42 pm
“Lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way”
Team has leaders across the board – starting with Baker and LVD.
We are getting close Bucs fans. 🤞🏼
May 30th, 2025 at 4:03 pm
Maybe someone should let Baker know that he’s playing QB, so he isn’t trying to force fumbles in the 4th quarter of playoff games.
May 30th, 2025 at 4:17 pm
The refs used to treat Cam Newton like an LB. He took a lot of big hits and the refs would let it slide.
May 30th, 2025 at 5:52 pm
I love Baker. That does not mean I want to see him get injured for my pleasure. Over time his style will evolve. He will learn to be a better game manager. Maybe a little more conservative which is what his current QB coach is asking of him, I believe. There is plenty of room for him to be himself.
May 30th, 2025 at 10:59 pm
You don’t get Baker to stop being Baker!
Instead, you call plays knowing that you are calling them for Baker. When you are in field goal range after a TD is called back for a holding penalty against Wirth in a close game in Dallas on first and long, second and long and third and long, you call a play that gets the ball out of Baker’s hands quickly – a run, a screen, a roll out with an option to run. With the dogs loose and deep routes run, you must know that Baker will play heroically and the result was a called back touchdown ends up a punt instead of a field goal in a game that the Bullpen lost by two points.
If you
May 30th, 2025 at 11:59 pm
Rod Munch=Joke