Baker Mayfield Talks Culture Shift, As*hole Josiah Trotter
September 1st, 2026
There was all kinds of crowing a year ago about how great the Bucs’ culture was.
Joe didn’t realize “soft” was a part of that.
Maybe the Bucs didn’t realize how soft they were. That’s possible. Joe’s been on teams and seen teams that thought they had it all figured out but then came apart at the seams.
That was the Bucs last season. Consecutive losses to the Saints, Falcons and Panthers were an abomination, followed by a quitter-like effort against the tanking Dolphins.
So change was needed and it wasn’t just players, says Baker Mayfield. He talked to the Green Light podcast several days ago at One Buc Palace for an episode that published yesterday.
Mayfield talked about the additions to the defense’s front-7 and saved his fondest affection for rookie second-round pick Josiah Trotter.
“Trotter, we needed a guy like that. He’s an as*hole and I love it,” Mayfield said.
After talking about free agent defensive tackles A’Shawn Robinson and Rakeem Nuñez-Roches, and how “nasty” Calijah Kancey is when healthy, Mayfield said the team is significantly different.
“Improvement up front with the players and also just culture-wise, they’re not going to take any sh*t. We needed that,” Mayfield said.
Joe hears this stuff and can’t help but think of Lavonte David and how so many people raved about how David successfully led the defense and forged its identity.
September 1st, 2026 at 7:51 am
Joe … ‘Joe hears this stuff and can’t help but think of Lavonte David and how so many people raved about how David successfully led the defense and forged its identity.’
It’d be hard to argue that the 2020 & 2021 defenses weren’t solid (both Top-10). And LVD was surely one of the leaders on that defense (along with Suh & JPP especially IMO).
Time passes us all by though. No question in my mind that LVD stayed a year too long.
September 1st, 2026 at 8:00 am
The same with Derrick Brooks. He could barely walk never mind run in his final year or even two. When you can no longer do things that used to come naturally to you, then you tend to give up. The organization kept both these players long after their prime.
September 1st, 2026 at 8:04 am
Yes, when I hear talking heads say “How will the Bucs handle losing Hall of Fame WR Mike Evans and HOF LB Lavonte David this year” all I can think is we lost them last year.
September 1st, 2026 at 8:05 am
The front 7 of this defense will be improved…
However the horrendous CB unit will nullify any improvements made to the front 7.
Cool – the Bucs will stop the run but allow 400 yds plus passing per game.
Thanks to our beloved “ROH” GM.
September 1st, 2026 at 8:14 am
I believe what your trying to say is we got “Youngry”
September 1st, 2026 at 8:14 am
I agree with the Drunk fan. Go Bucs
September 1st, 2026 at 8:21 am
But then reality sits in, head ball coach Erckles personality will be a bus kill
September 1st, 2026 at 8:47 am
Joe David was a Great Player but wasn’t a physical leader nor a feared verbal presence …….. We need Nickersons and Sapps !! Trotter is a mixture of both and let’s hope he can play like it !!
September 1st, 2026 at 8:47 am
Unfortunately and sadly agree. It appears the front have improved, but the secondary was bad last year and worse now. Adding Bunting hopefully helps maybe, if he can replace McColumn the secondary may be ok. However with NCColumn it will be receivers running wide open.
September 1st, 2026 at 8:50 am
Licht’s been here for 10 years, he’s just now realizing this? Defense is as soft as Todd’s midsection.
September 1st, 2026 at 9:04 am
DrunkBucsFan: Never thought of it like that. Astute point.
September 1st, 2026 at 9:12 am
Drunkbuc said it
September 1st, 2026 at 9:32 am
Thanks. Third cup of coffee kicking in.
And about our secondary, not saying I am excited about it. But I don’t think it’s really any worse than last year. Dean is a good CB, when he plays. But just because he was the best one here doesn’t make him Top 10.
September 1st, 2026 at 9:33 am
Two attitude-changers, in Buccaneers’ history came to mind reading that article.
Hardy Nickerson.
Warren Sapp.
September 1st, 2026 at 9:34 am
go back and watch the game, but I didn’t see them quit against the Dolphins. It’s not like they came out and said I want to lose …they were actually outhustled. The dolphins were psyched up for that game. It looked to me like the Dolphins had more talent which means the Bucs players were just in the toilet that day. Everybody got psyched up to play Tampa for some reason we brought out the best in everyone while we were on an uncontrollable spiral bc of injuries but they didn’t quit they just stunk
September 1st, 2026 at 9:39 am
@ Drunk
Wait until we have just one injury within that CB unit.
Just one.
House of cards amigo…
September 1st, 2026 at 9:39 am
Would be great to have more than one a-hole on offense besides Baker. Brady and Jensen were the tone setters for a few years. Maybe Luke gets scrappy more often.
September 1st, 2026 at 9:42 am
@ Drunk
“all I can think is we lost them last year.”
Exactly right on this one bud…
Addition by subtraction.
September 1st, 2026 at 9:51 am
If the magical “culture” includes blocking and tackling, it will be successful.
September 1st, 2026 at 10:08 am
@Marine,
Your house of cards analogy is accurate. Just saying I don’t think it was really any better last year.
September 1st, 2026 at 10:19 am
The Bucs path to the playoffs is their defense applying constant unrelenting pressure on their opponents. This was how the Bucs won their two Super Bowls.
Baker needs to stay healthy by playing smart and not putting his body in harms way. His ma cho mentality verses live to play another down has been his downfall. Tom Brady used his intelligence (smart play) to live and play another down to a Super Bowl win.
If Baker continues his macho mentality then the Bucs are likely to have another 2025 outcome
with the Bucs looking for another HC and quarterback.
September 1st, 2026 at 10:21 am
The secondary is our weakness, but if we can actually get pressure consistently, that will help.
Not many corners can cover for 4-5 seconds especially when the rules favor the offense.
I think if your getting hits on the QB and make him uncomfortable, it helps the corners.
And that’s a league wide situation.
Give any QB 4-5 seconds in the pocket and a WR is bound to get open.
Either way, I hope for a great season!
LFG!!!
September 1st, 2026 at 10:42 am
If the front 7 is as significantly improved as most seem to agree it will be, the secondary will be better by default. The defense has already shown glimpses of that improvement in camp and during the preseason games. The offense is more the mystery at this point. Will the offensive line bounce back from their injury riddled season? Will the young and somewhat inexperienced receivers deliver? Will Zac Robinson enable this offense to hum? Will Baker rebound?