Baker Mayfield Talks Diverse And Unpredictable Playcalling Experience
January 29th, 2026
“I wasn’t throwing you under the bus, Grizz. Well, maybe a Ford Escape.“
New Bucs offensive coordinator Zac Robinson is a different coach than the one Baker Mayfield was around four seasons ago in Los Angeles.
Now Robinson has two years of experience calling plays — for the Falcons.
Speaking on the WFLA streaming show known as The Rondé Barber Show, Mayfield was excited about the growth of his new playcaller.
Mayfield said experience is critical for the job because playcallers need to be able to move seamlessly to Plans B, C or D within games when things don’t go as planned. He saw Robinson adjust well bouncing between a young left-handed QB (Michael Penix) and an old immobile one (Kirk Cousins).
“That [playcalling] experience is invaluable. I think what he’s been able to do with it adjusting to two very different quarterbacks, as well, and what that looks like. I think it’s great for him,” Mayfield said.
Strong point by Mayfield noting how Robinson was dealing with unexpected changes at quarterback in both his Atlanta seasons.
Regardless, Mayfield sounded like a guy glad to move on from Josh Grizzard, a first-time playcaller with limited experience at 35 years old.
Fall guy Grizzard’s offenses had strong success on opening drives, especially late this season. But it seemed like his in-game adjustments were a work in progress.
Ira Kaufman Talks All Things Zac Robinson Meeting, The Todd Bowles Temperature, Sam Darnold Vs. Baker Mayfield & More
January 29th, 2026 at 11:31 am
Just too much for a guy who had never done it. I didn’t think it would be so hard, but apparently I was wrong. Maybe if everyone stayed healthy Grizz would still have a job with the Bucs. Too big of a job for him with all the injuries and his inexperience as the OC.
January 29th, 2026 at 11:37 am
“But it seemed like his in-game adjustments were a work in progress.” Bingo!
January 29th, 2026 at 11:38 am
From the eye test, after the first series/possession, in the subsequent offensive series, it just felt like a lot of work just to get a first down.
January 29th, 2026 at 11:47 am
I wish I knew more about what the weekly prep takes. Only so many hours in the week to be watching film and crafting a gameplan but it seems like that weekly prep should allow an OC to have Plan A on his sheet, Plan B behind it, Plan C behind that.
On top of that, Baker is a veteran. If a call from Plan A comes in and Baker doesn’t like the defensive look, he can audible.
Blows my mind that these guys don’t have multiple plays ready for certain moments. I can’t imagine how hard it must be in game, pressure on, clock ticking to be playing this chess game but again, there are 5 full days to get multiple plans ready.
The Eagles 49ers game was a good look at play caller ineptitude. Eagles burning that much needed timeout on 4th down just to call 4 verts. As if there isn’t a play sheet that has game on the line play calls ready to go.
January 29th, 2026 at 11:48 am
@BakerFan,
I agree with everything you wrote.
Being a first-time playcaller is challenging enough. But all those injuries, especially along the o-line, made it much more difficult.
The plays that had a good chance of succeeding one week wouldn’t work the following week when the o-line got reshuffled. It probably took him time to get used to all of strenghts and weaknesses of the backup o-linemen.
Continuity along the o-line is so important, and the lack of it in 2025 seemed to have really hurt Barton, who regressed.
If Grizz wasn’t fired, I’m confident he’d be better in 2026. Everyone who’s been around him says he’s got a high football IQ. That said, I believe Zac will be a better fit.
January 29th, 2026 at 11:55 am
Mayfield said experience is critical for the job because playcallers need to be able to move seamlessly to Plans B, C or D within games when things don’t go as planned.
Can we talk more about how badly Todd Bowles is at doing this? Or lack thereof.
January 29th, 2026 at 12:31 pm
Zac Robinson has a lot to prove to me. He came from a bad team, and did not even have success there. I’m not buying the hype at all.
This will be one of those “prove himself” deals for me.
January 29th, 2026 at 12:40 pm
Grizzard was the OC when the Bucs were 5-1 and 6-2 before the bye.
Was he terrible then? Did he figure out how to be terrible after the bye?
Or could it have been the HC\DC that has been here four years in that position and always orchestrated a long sustained losing streak.
Even Coen only won 2 more games than Grizzard. And the losing streak was present in 2024.
I don’t remember anyone blaming Coen for the loses.
Until the reason for the 2025 collapse is diagnosed then 2026 is going to be the same if not worse.
Bowles is the reason for our failures every single time.
3rd and 28
January 29th, 2026 at 1:44 pm
“Grizzard was the OC when the Bucs were 5-1 and 6-2 before the bye.
Was he terrible then? Did he figure out how to be terrible after the bye?
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No, He wasn’t that great then really. We had 2 decent games offensively
“Or could it have been the HC\DC that has been here four years in that position and always orchestrated a long sustained losing streak.”
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Or could it have been…………… Satan 🤣🤣🤣
” I don’t remember anyone blaming Coen for the loses.”
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Many objective posters pointed out Weasles part in our losses but the Todd’s what’s wrong with the world today crowd just kept screeching the same old song and dance and refuse to listen
1st and goal
January 29th, 2026 at 1:48 pm
Tom Petty Says:
Or could it have been…………… Satan 🤣🤣🤣
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LOL
January 29th, 2026 at 2:50 pm
I will say again, last year before the season began, Grizz did an interview with Barber, and that was the first time I had heard him talk in more to sounds clips – and he just sounded so dumb it was alarming. He talked in cliches, and just the way he spoke, it was extremely off-putting for a highly intelligent person like myself. At the same time we got tons of articles talking about how everyone around him said he was a wiz kid and a genius – and it’s hard to think he made it that far if he was as dumb as he sounded, so I think it was just the interview, perhaps.
But I also know, and said at the time, if Grizz was as smart as people claimed he was, he’d have just calmed everyone down and said, “we’re doing the exact same thing we did last year” when asked what would be different between him and Coen. Had he done that, and followed through, Grizz would be interviewing for HC jobs this offseason instead of being unemployed.
January 29th, 2026 at 4:09 pm
It was impossible to do what we did the previous year without most of the offensive line available. Especially late in the season. Losing both starting guards for the year killed this team.
January 29th, 2026 at 4:15 pm
@ Rod Munch – Great post. I don’t know about HC interviews, but he damn sure wouldn’t have been fired. He dumbed down so many of the plays to Leftwichesque levels it was embarrassing. He had Coen’s playbook completely at his disposal and chose not to use it. Totally outsmarted himself and could have made the playoffs just copying off Coen’s paper.
January 29th, 2026 at 5:42 pm
Love the podcast Ira but if getting Zac Robinson was a bunt down the 3rd base line then Bowles HC job last year was a bases loaded full count called strike. Collapsing like that with a wet paper bag defense makes Robinson the HC in waiting if Bowles can’t humble himself and adjust his scheme (i.e. Yaya 30 yards downfield in coverage) Robinson is HC in waiting!
January 29th, 2026 at 6:57 pm
Will Bakefield get his ‘bag’?
January 29th, 2026 at 7:28 pm
Baker endorsed him, sent licht a video of him and the o line dancing and giving thumbs up from the Caribbean. I guess everybody needed a scapegoat. I’ll be glad when we draft a franchise qb and not an average and over hyped qb. Baker is not the guy…