“Baker Is Pissed”
November 11th, 2025
Speaks out.
Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield is the ultimate team guy. And even though he is required by the league to speak with the pen and mic club at least twice a week during the season, Joe is convinced Mayfield would rather talk about how hard his teammates work how well they play or how important they are than talk about himself or game strategy.
Joe thinks that a reason Bucs players look up to Mayfield so much.
So when Mayfield is ever publicly critical of his teammates, Joe thinks it’s a much bigger deal behind closed doors than he is letting on.
Mayfield shocked Joe after the loss to New England when he said the Bucs lacked a “killer instinct.” That may be the first time Joe has ever heard Mayfield say anything negative about the Bucs during a season. He’s definitely had offseason gems.
Apparently, Mayfield had more to say.
From the words of Bucs coach Todd Bowles, Mayfield addressed teammates in the postgame locker room.
Joe guesses from the information Bowles gave Aileen Hnatiuk of WFLA-TV Channel 8, Mayfield wasn’t exactly asking his teammates if they wanted to go out and have a steak dinner once they showered.
“We’re moving forward,” Bowles said of turning the focus to the Bills, the Bucs’ next opponent. “[Mayfield] said some things in the locker room, I said some things in the locker room. We kind of see things the same way most of the time.
“We understand where we are and what we have to do to get better. We’ll go from there.
“Baker is p!ssed. I’m p!ssed. The team should be p!ssed. Everybody should be p!ssed off.”
It is not unusual for a Bucs captain to tee off on the team. Last year when the Bucs were seal-clubbed by the Broncos, Lavonte David apparently tore into teammates for their lack of effort and focus.
When Joe asked David a couple of days after the game if that was true, that he had sharp words after the loss, David had a smirk on his face, replying, “Things needed to be said.”
And for Mayfield to be the guy to tee off, Joe suspects this may not be a minor issue.
@aileenhnatiuk♬ original sound – Aileen Hnatiuk
November 11th, 2025 at 3:13 am
Play to the whistle!! Zyon!!!!
November 11th, 2025 at 4:03 am
Its been four years of a team not playing to their collective talent level.
Bowles has been saying the same things: mental errors, communication problems, lack of focus. But he’s the coach who tolerates it.
Coaches of great teams do not tolerate continual mental mistakes.
Four years of underachieving. Four years of wasting talent. Enough is enough.
November 11th, 2025 at 5:40 am
Zyon sure seems to get burned a lot for someone who is allegedly the best athlete, and fastest player on the team. Great, freak athletes also jump off the screen – he never does. He has never made any wow plays. Ever. Is he a bad player? No. But he is one of a handful of guys fans grossly overvalue because theyre OUR guys and they believe they are better than they actually are. Cade Otton is another example. I have seen some people even call him a weapon. A weapon is someone who is a mismatch. Someone who can blow by linebackers, out jump you etc etc. Otton is a safety valve. A reliable one to be sure. But like Zyon, he is firmly in the “most average player ever” category for the position. Average line, average receivers outside of Ebuka, average running back. Our quote in quote star receivers are always hurt. At present state ado the Bucs even have a top 10 roster. But then again the quality of the nfl product nowadays is so terrible with no really good teams, there’s a chance to make some noise if Mike Evans comes back and he’s Mike Evans. Not counting on Godwin to be any kind of a threat.
November 11th, 2025 at 6:11 am
Tied 7 to 7, threw short of the sticks on 3rd down. That is lack of killer instinct. Its an attitude.
November 11th, 2025 at 6:30 am
With injuries side lining four of Baker’s top receivers, he only has one with more than 5 years experience, the one he knows the best, the one whose weaknesses is revealed by lack of focus and preparation! One who drops passes, is penalized at important points and fails to run routes that lead to separation. Surely, a practice squad receiver is hungry enough to take this players place.
November 11th, 2025 at 6:34 am
The long td runs are unacceptable. Otten needs to hold on to the ball. Shepherd should know better by now. Give Greene,a shot or pick-up the top cfl receiver from BC Lions. Use that kicker in 50-60 range. Dodgers milk the Japan league.
November 11th, 2025 at 6:35 am
What Davenport said he took the words right out of my mouth
November 11th, 2025 at 6:36 am
I don’t know why this is such a shock to Baker. I see numerous games EVERY year that the team doesn’t show up. How many times have we heard the word FLAT when describing the Bucs play? It’s astounding that this can happen so many times from year to year. I blame Todd Bowles. He talks about accountability frequently yet it rears it’s ugly head time and time again. Bowles is all talk and no action.
November 11th, 2025 at 6:37 am
davenport nailed it. for all the celebration about “culture” in this blog and other places, there is a culture problem with the bucs.
it is one thing after a loss to say “we got beat, they are better” yada yada. it is another thing to repeatedly, repeatedly come back to 1) fundamentals, 2) communication 3) mental lapses.
that goes for players and coaches. it’s somewhat shocking the slackness that is acceptable in one buc place. it’s not just acceptable, it is celebrated.
November 11th, 2025 at 6:48 am
The team plays with the demeanor of their head coach.
November 11th, 2025 at 6:58 am
Baker should be pi$$ed at GM Jason Licht when it is patently obvious that Bucs could certainly use another WR or Olineman and Licht did absolutely squat to help Baker while other Top NFC teams were making moves aplenty.
November 11th, 2025 at 7:11 am
If Licht knew that none of the injured players like Godwin, Bucky, Evans and JMac were not going to be ready to return anytime soon which he would know that being the GM then a move should have been made. Doesn’t look like BB any of those guys b are returning anytime soon. Before the trade deadline ESPN was reporting Bucky and Godwin out until late November early December.
November 11th, 2025 at 7:38 am
Why can’t I post my comment?
November 11th, 2025 at 7:41 am
We have several practice squad players on our team licking their chops to prove their worth as a player. Devin Culp, Garrett Green, Nick Jackson, Mohamed Kamara, n John Bullock. Killer instinct is in their DNA. We need to quit isolating guys based on their draft pick or their entry into the league. The following players play with no passion or killer instinct, is passive, and has proven nothing since joining the team:Chris Braswell, Logan Hall, Payne Durham. Bucs historically have a history of playing nonproductive players based on their draft status. OJHoward, JTS, Myron Lewis. JTS went to the Browns n didn’t last long so now he’s now on the bench with the bears as a backup.