Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are preparing for their Week 2 home opener against the Cleveland Browns at Raymond James Stadium. Tampa Bay enters the matchup after a 33-27 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, while Cleveland also opened the season with a defeat.
Sunday’s game carries additional history for Mayfield. The Browns selected him No. 1 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, and he spent four seasons in Cleveland before moving to the Carolina Panthers in 2022. He later joined the Buccaneers and has since become Tampa Bay’s starting quarterback.
Mayfield is now entering his fourth season with Tampa Bay and recently signed a three-year, $165 million contract extension. The Week 2 matchup gives him another meeting with the franchise where his NFL career began.
Baker Mayfield Focuses on Details Ahead of Browns Reunion
During a recent press conference, Mayfield said his priority against Cleveland is not the history between the teams but correcting the issues from Tampa Bay’s season opener.
“I think anytime, as I’ve mentioned to you guys, where there’s history between a franchise, a coaching staff, anybody, there’s always that you want to come out on the winning side of that no matter what,” Mayfield said.
He then shifted his focus toward his preparation.
“But yeah, for me this week is doing the little things right, continuing to try and displace the ball where it needs to go and then obviously, you know, making the things corrections I need to.”
That emphasis comes after Mayfield lost three fumbles in the Buccaneers’ loss to Cincinnati.
Mayfield said the best way to avoid being distracted by the reunion is to concentrate on the details each day.
“I think taking it one day at a time, making sure that you harp on the little details,” he said.
“So, when you do that, you’re good; things will happen on Sunday.”
Mayfield also reflected on what he learned from his time in Cleveland. He said consistency and controlling what he can control have become important parts of his approach.
“I think probably the biggest one, um, trying to be the same person every day for the guys in the locker room,” Mayfield said.
He added that he wants to lead effectively, control the offense, and ultimately win.
Mayfield led Cleveland to the playoffs in 2020 and helped the Browns earn their first postseason victory since 1994 with a win over Pittsburgh.
He was traded to Carolina in 2022 after Cleveland pursued Deshaun Watson.
His career was later revived with the Los Angeles Rams before he joined Tampa Bay in 2023. He has since earned two Pro Bowl selections and helped the Buccaneers win two NFC South titles.
The reunion will bring back plenty of history, but Mayfield is keeping his attention on the next game.
Mayfield’s measured approach contrasts with the stronger assessment coming from someone who worked with him during his first season in Cleveland.
Ken Zampese Says Browns “Had the Guy” in Baker Mayfield
Buccaneers senior offensive assistant and pass game specialist Ken Zampese was Mayfield’s quarterbacks coach with Cleveland in 2018.
Ahead of Sunday’s game, Zampese offered his assessment of the Browns’ decision to move on from the quarterback.
“They had the guy,” Zampese said, via ESPN reporter Jenna Laine.
“They had the guy, and they gave him up.”
Zampese also pointed to Cleveland’s improvement during Mayfield’s early tenure.
He said the Browns went 5-3 over the second half of the 2018 season after entering that year following a 1-31 stretch over two seasons.
“The script got flipped, and the city came alive because they finally drafted a quarterback that worked out for them, and they mucked it up. They mucked it up,” Zampese said.
Zampese is now reunited with Mayfield in Tampa Bay, where the quarterback has continued his career after leaving Cleveland.
Mayfield, meanwhile, has chosen to emphasize preparation rather than the circumstances surrounding his departure. His immediate objective is to correct the mistakes from Week 1 and execute against Cleveland on Sunday.
Baker Mayfield Makes Priority Clear Before Browns Reunion