A League MVP Call For Baker Mayfield
August 6th, 2025
Joe liked this analysis because it came with an intelligent explanation.
Former NFL safety and Eagles director of player personnel Louis Riddick, now a reasoned and seasoned BSPN analyst, made a case this morning for Baker Mayfield winning the 2025 Most Valuable Player award.
Riddick isn’t tweaked by Mayfield changing offensive coordinators because Mayfield himself is consistently good with change.
“That has been the story of his career but it doesn’t faze him,” Riddick said today on ESPN TV. “This dude has hit his stride. He’s also a lesson for everyone who really wants to jump the gun and consider quarterbacks busts in Year 1 and Year 2. It took Baker a minute but he’s found it now. And don’t be surprised if as as Tampa maybe starts winning this year, this guy gets talked [for MVP] about if he has the kind of season he had a year ago.”
What intrigued Joe is Riddick suggesting Mayfield doesn’t need to do anything differently this season to win MVP — other than win more.
That’s a very fair assessment.
In the past two seasons, the Bucs have had a losing record when the clock struck Dec. 1. That’s no way to impress the panel of 50 or so media and ex-NFL people who vote for the MVP award. Winning is still a major component of the honor, as it should be.
Joe will stand and applaud if Todd Bowles and Mayfield can navigate their team to a winning record after playing the Cardinals at home on Nov. 30. That would mean the team is at least 7-5 with five games remaining against the Saints, Falcons, Panthers (twice) and Dolphins.
That smells like a steady 11-win season, one good enough to put Mayfield in the MVP conversation if he has the requisite stats.
August 6th, 2025 at 11:34 am
GO BUCS
August 6th, 2025 at 11:40 am
Yes agree Baker has come along way and deserves to be acknowledged for what he has accomplished after being run out of Cleveland. He also appears to have matured considerably after all he has gone through.
My concern presently is now the team is starting to get all hype from the media about how well they are going to do! Let’s hope Baker and the team aren’t getting caught in the hype because all teams are both good and bad until the season starts. How good is Baker and this team going to be.
Well a few games into the regular season should tell!. Til then there are 31 teams and the Bucs who are Super Biel contenders.
August 6th, 2025 at 11:52 am
Jose, I cannot disagree. He’s already the MVB. Becoming the MVP is a logical next step.
August 6th, 2025 at 12:04 pm
Not sure I buy the media narrative that anything special happened to Mayfield. This is a guy who broke the rookie TD record under Hue Jackson and Todd Hailey while throwing to Jarvis Landry and a box of scraps, behind a bad O-line. His only problem in year two was a guy who didn’t want to be there in OBJ, and a coach who was hilariously out of his depth in Freddy Kitchens.
Stefanski’s offense operated fine once Baker had a chance to actually play in it, and then he was injured. It was never a problem with the actual guy though. The arm talent, decision-making and and pocket management were always there though.
August 6th, 2025 at 12:20 pm
Joe, I think we have a tough beginning stretch of the season, but we only have 1 game outside of the state of Florida after week 12 and that is against the Panthers. That is a lot of games where Baker can absolutely dice it up and cement this team and lock the NFC Champ spot early. I’m hoping the week 17 and 18 game we can sit starters or play very few snaps.
On a side note, I hope we beat the brakes off the Texans in week 2 after that come back win in 2023…
August 6th, 2025 at 12:21 pm
i’d rather have baker as the SB MVP
GO BUCS!!!!
August 6th, 2025 at 12:45 pm
I’m sure Baker wouldn’t mind being in the MVP conversation, but part of his maturity is that he knows what is really important, winning. He’s team oriented and a great leader – leadership is not about focusing on individual awards – it’s about making sure you are consistent and getting everyone involved to maximize the teams effort and goal (ie, winning and learning).
If he continues those things, and the organization has given him the tools, then winning will happen. The awards follow the effort, not the other way ‘round.
Besides, while it’s nice to be recognized, he has performed at an MVP level, and he knows it.
Like the man said, “just win, baby!”
August 6th, 2025 at 12:52 pm
Why not win out those last 5 games. I’ve been predicting 12-5 and sticking with it!
August 6th, 2025 at 2:00 pm
I say they hit that same spot Joe at 9-3, maybe better, they are certainly capable of it. I don’t care who a team is if I go into it thinking they can’t hang or just know how good we are, just play your a** off and the wins will add up. The only record I really care about is having more wins than anyone else last game of the season and having my pinky fitted for my FIRST ring..
August 6th, 2025 at 2:46 pm
CallTheSaltTruck calling it exactly as it was. Great memory of facts CTST!!!
As far as 2025 is concerned, JG is calling the shots!! Forget the #3 ranked offense. We are coming for #1🏴☠️ the Bucs are taking the field and we are taking it over!! This is our year!!! Get out of the way or be ran over!!🏴☠️
August 6th, 2025 at 5:11 pm
CallTheSaltTruck Says:
August 6th, 2025 at 12:04 pm
Not sure I buy the media narrative that anything special happened to Mayfield. This is a guy who broke the rookie TD record under Hue Jackson and Todd Hailey while throwing to Jarvis Landry and a box of scraps, behind a bad O-line. His only problem in year two was a guy who didn’t want to be there in OBJ, and a coach who was hilariously out of his depth in Freddy Kitchens.
Stefanski’s offense operated fine once Baker had a chance to actually play in it, and then he was injured. It was never a problem with the actual guy though. The arm talent, decision-making and and pocket management were always there though
=======================================
Truthful summary of Baker’s career. The rest of the noise is from lazy “journalists’ sports talk show types who have no idea how Baker performed in Cleveland. If there is any doubt about how pathetically run the Browns are, stay tuned because this is the year Coach, Kevin Stephanski and GM, Andrew Berry walk the plank. Meanwhile Baker is a realistic MVP possibility. The media doofusses in Cleveland deserve the Browns and their stable of 6 QB’s.
August 6th, 2025 at 10:26 pm
Baker would much rather win a superbowl for the fans than get the MVP for himself, 5 times over. It’s like someone said all that other stuff will follow.
August 7th, 2025 at 6:24 am
callthesalttruck is spot on! even in 2020 he receiving corp consisted of landry and a bunch of nobodies. obj getting hurt was the key to that season.