Baker Mayfield probably won’t be seen in a Michigan Wolverines jersey again.
But when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ star quarterback arrived at his weekly press conference on Wednesday, that’s exactly what he had on.
Mayfield, of course, was a college superstar at Oklahoma who then was the No. 1 pick into the NFL by the Cleveland Browns.
He has since gone to the Carolina Panthers, the Los Angeles Rams and now the Bucs.
That’s a lot of teams that Mayfield has played for.
None of them are Michigan.
So what gives?
Explaining Baker Mayfield’s Michigan Jersey
Mayfield appears to have lost a bet with his head coach Todd Bowles.
Bowles’ son, Troy, plays for Michigan.
The Wolverines topped Mayfield’s Sooners this weekend, which created the amusing scene.
Bowles could be heard in the background singing the Wolverines’ fight song, too.
“That hurts,” Mayfield said. “That hurts real bad. It’s been a rough couple days… Todd’s son was on the winning side of it, the Sooners were not, and therefore I squeezed into this little tank top.”
Priceless: #Bucs QB Baker Mayfield walked into his press conference wearing a Michigan tank top, with HC Todd Bowles singing the Wolverines’ fight song.
Bowles’ son, Troy, plays for Michigan, which beat Mayfield’s alma mater, Oklahoma. 😂 pic.twitter.com/oFrUXQRnR2
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 16, 2026
Troy Bowles (who wears that No. 18 that Baker was wearing) was fantastic in Michigan’s win, too. He had two tackles for loss, including a sack.
He had previously played two seasons for the Georgia Bulldogs after being a four-star recruit out of Tampa Jesuit High School.
Without Troy Bowles, Mayfield’s Sooners may have won on Saturday, but with the playmaking edge rusher, things didn’t work out well for Baker.
The world will never know what the other side of the wager may have looked like for the Bucs head coach Todd Bowles.
Revenge Week for Baker Mayfield
After that clash between head coach and quarterback last Saturday, Mayfield now has a big week on his own hands.
The Buccaneers are taking on the Browns, the team that drafted Mayfield and then eventually traded him to make room for Deshaun Watson.
That deal backfired for Cleveland, while Mayfield has developed into one of the NFL’s better quarterbacks.
The Browns are now one of the worst teams in football, while Mayfield’s Buccaneers are perennial playoff contenders.
There certainly won’t be any in-house conflicts when it comes to Tampa Bay preparing for the Browns. The Buccaneers had a tough loss in Week 1 to the Cincinnati Bengals, and now they want to get on the right track.
All of Mayfield’s teammates will know how badly he wants to beat the Browns. They’ll do everything in their power to help him do that.
Why Baker Mayfield Wore a Michigan Jersey Despite Oklahoma Career