news-engine

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have known for the past few years that they have a dog at quarterback in Baker Mayfield. He shows it on the field every Sunday, and he always lets the opposing team know about it, especially if they start with him. The funny thing is that he's always been like this, the person who was doubted and made sure to prove them wrong. It started in high school, and he made an Arya Stark-like list for all of his doubters. “Baker Mayfield used to keep a list,” Zak Keefer of The Athletic wrote. “His childhood friends are convinced this started early in high school, back when he was 5 feet 5 and 120 pounds, a wannabe quarterback in the football-obsessed Texas town of Lake Travis who had to crowhop like a center fielder just to throw it 35 yards. “His buddies ribbed him. His parents wanted him to quit. He started writing down the names of anyone who doubted or dismissed him, easy fuel for a player who came to crave conflict.” One time in high school, he talked trash to an opposing cornerback after he couldn't stop the wide receiver. Mayfield yelled out the routes that he wanted the wide receiver to run, and the cornerback still couldn't stop them. That led to the coach taking out his player. Mayfield had that same energy on the college field, and it has bled over to the NFL. It's what makes him Baker Mayfield, and now it feels like his target is his own team. The Buccaneers were not able to reach an extension with Mayfield before training camp, and there's no question that he was disappointed. Though he's focused on this season and not letting distractions get in the way, he still wants to prove to the Buccaneers that he deserves the money he's asked for.