Skip Bayless: Baker Mayfield Is A Top-Ten Quarterback
September 13th, 2025
Sees the light with Baker Mayfield.
The lightning rod that is media personality Skip Bayless is doing his victory laps. Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield, Bayless said, is proving him right.
In a panel discussion/hollering show on something called “The Arena: Gridiron,” Bayless said absolutely Mayfield is a top-10 quarterback.
In fact, Bayless said he hollered about this when Mayfield entered the 2018 draft. So naturally, Bayless is beating his chest, all but shouting, “I told you so!”
“[Mayfield] winds up in Tampa, and he finally finds a home,” Bayless began. “But he is replacing The Goat, Thomas Edward Patrick Brady, Jr. He’s stepping in to the winged cleats of Tom Brady for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“And what does he do in back to back years? He leads them to division titles and he makes Pro Bowls. Last year in Tampa, he put up his career numbers across the board. He threw 41 touchdown passes, which was second the league to Joe Burrow, 43. That’s pretty good. [And] made another Pro Bowl.”
Joe doesn’t know how anyone could suggest Mayfield isn’t in the top-10. Only a hater or someone who never watches the Bucs would do that.
Joe thinks we will look back in 15-20 years and Todd Bowles’ insistence on bringing Mayfield to the Bucs will be considered one of the smartest moves in franchise history.
In the NFL, you either have a quarterback or you don’t. The Bucs have one. A top-10 quarterback.
"Yes [Baker] is Top 10. I may need a seatbelt before this one is over."@RealSkipBayless ranks Baker Mayfield definitely as a Top 10 QB in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/CsGBBDK577
— The Arena: Gridiron (@ArenaGridiron) September 11, 2025
September 13th, 2025 at 12:22 am
About 6 or 7 years from now, if all goes well, these guys who say they believe he’s a top 10 QB, will be talking about something else. Like is Baker an all time top ten QB. Bowles insistence on bringing Mayfield to the Bucs should already be seen as one of the smartest moves the Bucs have made in their franchise’s history. I’ve seen the best QBs football has to offer over the last 65 years anyway, and if he finishes his career here if he isn’t top ten (would require at least 2 Super Bowl wins) he will be top 25 anyway. He’s been really good for alot of years now. These next 4 or 5 years will be his dead prime…to be continued
September 13th, 2025 at 1:39 am
He’s a sooner fan so he’s always been pro-Baker. Not a surprise here. I couldn’t care less what Talib thinks about him, honestly.
September 13th, 2025 at 2:02 am
Baker is Top-5.
Especially the last 2 seasons.
And hopefully this season as well, and in the future
September 13th, 2025 at 2:26 am
Top 10 alltime? Top 25 alltime? Whoa. There are four superstar quarterbacks in the league right now. Mahomes, Allen, Burrow, and Jackson. Baker ain’t in that class, and never will be. But short of those four, there is no QB on earth I would trade Baker for straight up. I just pray he doesn’t go looking for Dak Prescott money. Otherwise, I am just going to sit here and enjoy the ride.
September 13th, 2025 at 2:47 am
Lunch meat. Allen won the MVP last season. The last 22 NFL games-Baker 5777 yards and Allen 4984. Baker 70.4 comp.pct. and Allen 64.3. Baker 52 TDS and 18 interceptions and Allen 34 TDs and 10 interceptions. Baker 107.2 passer rating and Allen 99.8. Baker has dominated Burrow head to head. Mahomes is the best because QBs should be ranked heavily by playoff success. Oh yeah. Baker smokes every one that you named in playoff numbers. As old Davey keeps saying. The cream will rise to the top. And as I say Patience is hard earned. And that’s the truth.
September 13th, 2025 at 3:31 am
I realize that three years ago Baker was on his last legs. Now I think he has more than answered any questions about where he should be “ranked”. Not a big fan of rankings. It’s not a secret and Bayless is right. Corrupt media wants to sweep Tampa, Baker and the Bucs under the table but some know better.
Part of me hopes they keep giving us the bulletin board material though. LOL
Go Bucs!
September 13th, 2025 at 4:46 am
every 4th qt comeback gets him closer to elite, closer to Brady’s footprint, hes a great qb from the dime throws to scrambling to leading, stay healthy Bake!! needs a couple more playoff wins and a ring and he’ll be way up there!
September 13th, 2025 at 4:58 am
Bayless is right on point about Baker! And thankfully he found the home right here with the Bucs.
September 13th, 2025 at 7:04 am
BM6 MVP!!! Go Bucs🏈🏆🌎
September 13th, 2025 at 7:14 am
My post is one of appreciation. Tommy’s last year in Tampa was not good. That was understandable though. Sometimes no matter how mentally tough you are – life can hit you with a series of gut punches. Now here’s the appreciation part. When Tom retired I remember feeling rather hopeless. Kind of like the Bucs were entering another The Lost Decade Pt2. Cash strapped and cap strapped with no real good, affordable QB’s on the market. Then, Licht went bargain bin shopping for Mayfield. But for that move, the Bucs would have been in football purgatory for years. Hope now rings eternal. Now – on to Houston!
September 13th, 2025 at 7:53 am
Absolutely right, Lt. Dan. I think most of us felt the same way. And then, we got lucky. Baker was the perfect fit to come in after Brady. Go Bucs!
September 13th, 2025 at 8:14 am
I don’t get all the love thrown Burrow’s way. Mahomes has proven it with SB’s. Jackson and Allen always fall short, not that they’re not top QB’s. Those 3 are the only ones I would trade Baker for and maybe only Allen at that. Hurts is close there too, not gaudy numbers but he get’s it done.
September 13th, 2025 at 8:19 am
Five words that strike fear in the hearts of Bucs fans and sadness in Saints fans:
It could have been Carr.
September 13th, 2025 at 8:31 am
Bayless is a buffoon for the most part. But he deserves to beat his chest on this one. He was one of only a very few in sports media to consistently defend Baker from day one against the likes of people like Shannon Sharpe who called Baker trash and a bust as the first pick in the draft of 2018. As fair as Skip Bayless has been regarding Baker he has been equally unfair in his takes on many others so I take anything he says with a grain of salt. As for Shannon Sharpe and so many others who were so harshly critical and dismissive of Baker, it is now so satisfying to see them squirm as they begrudgingly give Baker his due. That being said there are so many still out there who are waiting and expecting him to fall so that they can say they were right all along and that this recent success was only a mirage and made possible by the extraordinary talent surrounding him.
September 13th, 2025 at 8:56 am
Personally, a fan of Baker but I guess I see the game differently than Kenton when it comes to comparing Baker favorably to Josh Allen.
Josh Allen had no receivers of any quality last year but somehow still won the MVP. Oh, I see it now. If was not just his 28 passing TDs and only 6 Ints.
It was his 531 yards rushing, his 12 TDs rushing, and his 52 rushing 1st downs and only 6 fumbles last year.
Baker had a marvelous 378 rushing, with 3 TDs, 24 rushing 1st downs and 13 fumbles.
So, again my eyes tell me that Baker has the clear better receivers — and that Allens 2024 season was significantly better than Bakers last year.
Burrows passing season last year was better than either easily (49 TDs and only 9 Ints) and his 200 yards rushing and 16 rushing 1st downs with 11 fumbles was really in range of Bakers.
But to me the best year last year by statistics was Lamar Jackson.
September 13th, 2025 at 9:14 am
I agree Josh is unreal and I would doubt there is 1 person in Buffalo that would Trade Josh for any QB ,, But we got a guy who competes every play, a guy that gets our team going , a guy with moxie and a true desire to win.
We will find out this year about Josh Vs Baker as they will play 2 times, Regular Season and SuperBowl 😉
September 13th, 2025 at 9:18 am
The fact that a QB like Feisty Bake was thrown on the NFL scrap heap where Bowles found him shows you just how stupid some NFL “experts” are. There are intangibles Baker brings, especially the team-first mentality, and the fearless feisty drive to win. He fits right in with the rest of this Bucs team. Maybe it was his advanced age, personal problems, etc., but Brady was just like an automation in some games. Baker is not, even at his worst. As far as QB ranking, I’m no expert, just a fan so I ‘ll skip it. I’m just glad Bake is here. Now, if he would just lean to slide more! 2-0, Bucs!!
September 13th, 2025 at 9:39 am
geno711, I, just like any football fan, like Josh Allen alot. He’s a great QB and guy that teammates rally around. Baker wasn’t blessed with some of those talents that Allen has. As far as Burrow goes, he’s awful good but I would rather have Baker. And Burrow didn’t throw 49 touchdowns last year. He threw 43. Baker was second with 41. Baker has more than anyone the last 2+years. So maybe Burrow wasn’t “easily” the best passer.
September 13th, 2025 at 9:57 am
The doubters are out of market people making trouble.
September 13th, 2025 at 11:21 am
Overall I would agree that Baker isn’t in the group of the top 3 right now BUT…if Baker hadn’t had 10 OC’s in 8 years and almost a new HC every year he would be in that group. Baker hasn’t had a good OC until he arrived here. His development as an NFL quarterback has been setback for lack of consistency and quality coaching. If he would have been drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs with the best of everything he would no doubt be in that top 3. And he just might end up there anyway. Let’s see how good Grizzard does this year. There is a real reasons Baker has been voted, I think twice now, the best college quarterback in the 21st century. The top 3 haven’t been. And I realize the NFL is totally a different animal from college when it comes to the quarterback position but those skills that make a great college quarterback can carry over under the right coaching. And Baker hasnt had that advantage but he has had, since coming here, people that believe in him and have been smart at using his talents & strengths and incorporating them into this offensive unit and the final product has not yet been realized. Will it be better than last years 3rd best offense? Almost guaranteed to be.