Baker Mayfield Speaks on Rams Tenure: 'Hit the Reset Button'

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield's time with the Los Angeles Rams may have been brief, but he credits the organization for reviving his passion for the game

When quarterback Baker Mayfield came to the Los Angeles Rams in early December, he was at a low point in his NFL career.

In July, the Cleveland Browns traded Mayfield, who was once seen as the savior of the franchise, to the Carolina Panthers. Then, after struggling mightily in Carolina, the Panthers released the former No. 1 overall pick in the middle of the season. After leaving two teams in one season, Mayfield received one more chance when the Rams claimed him on waivers.

Days after arriving in L.A., Mayfield would make quite the first impression. He began the Rams' Thursday Night Football game against the Las Vegas Raiders as the backup, but found himself thrust into action when John Wolford went down with injury. Mayfield then led the Rams back from a 14-point deficit, tossing a late touchdown to give L.A. a 17-16 victory.

After that comeback, Mayfield cemented himself as the starter for the rest of the season. In five games with the Rams, Mayfield completed 63.6 percent of his passes for 850 yards and four touchdowns with two interceptions, performing much better than he did with Carolina. While his time with the Rams was brief, Mayfield credits the Rams for getting his career back on the right track.

I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. It was the first time I had fun playing football in a few years,” Mayfield said via the New York Post. "It brought that feeling of having that success and really remembering what it was all about, Kind of hit the reset button for me.” 

As a former No. 1 overall pick, Mayfield entered the league with very high expectations. He had his ups and downs in his first couple seasons, but things appeared to be looking up after leading Cleveland to its first playoff win since 1994 in 2020. However, his performance took a huge step back in 2021 as he played through a torn labrum for much of the season, leading to his divorce from the Browns.

Now, though, his career may be back on the right track. Mayfield signed a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and has a good chance at being their starter come Week 1. He credits this opportunity to his time with the Rams, and is now using that experience to better himself. 

“To be around a coach like Sean McVay and a bunch of other guys … to be around those guys and to be in that offense and now looking forward to being in Tampa because it’s a very similar system with our new offensive coordinator [Dave Canales],” Mayfield said.

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