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SAN FRANCISCO – Believe it or not, it wasn’t that long ago that Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold, the first and third picks in the 2018 NFL Draft, were teammates competing for a starting job with the Carolina Panthers. Less than four years later, all three parties have been very successful.
Mayfield found himself with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Carolina Panthers made the playoffs with Bryce Young, and Darnold will play in the Super Bowl on Sunday.
In a sit-down interview with Pakinomist Digital during Super Bowl media week, Mayfield admitted the whole situation was “interesting.” But as someone who has a similar journey to Darnold, he can’t help but root for him.
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Sam Darnold of the Carolina Panthers and Baker Mayfield warm up before the preseason game between the New England Patriots and the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium on August 19, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
“I’m so happy for Sam, having similar stories and journeys, really happy for him. He’s fought through and come out better on the other side. He’s found a home in Seattle, hopefully they get it done for his sake,” Mayfield said.
“In Carolina, not every situation fits that. We were there together, different staff, different GM, all that, then you hire Dave Canales. I know he’s going to help Bryce Young develop and make him a better player. When you have that kind of belief and it starts to change the culture after it’s been bad for a few years, that’s the confidence that people want — you don’t underestimate.”
That’s exactly what happened to Mayfield, who never quite found his footing with the Cleveland Browns, then headed to Carolina before being traded to the Los Angeles Rams to back up Matthew Stafford for less than half a season. Then he had big shoes to fill by replacing Tom Brady in Tampa Bay, but he has succeeded.
“It just takes being in the right fit and understanding as a QB what system you want to be in and you have to be able to be on the same page with everybody,” Mayfield said. “Through all the ups and downs, don’t lose your confidence and understanding that as long as I can learn something from every opportunity, good things will happen.”
Mayfield is admittedly a guy who holds a grudge — he had some things to say about former Panthers head coach Steve Wilks earlier this season, and he took a shot at new Atlanta Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski, his first NFL coach, last week.
Mayfield took exception to a tweet from an Atlanta-based reporter who wrote about Stefanski’s tenure in Cleveland, specifically the number of quarterbacks he had to work with because none seemed to stick. The writer said Mayfield “failed” in Cleveland.
“Failed is quite the reach pal,” Mayfield replied to X, referring to a note from the reporter that said Mayfield and Deshaun Watsonwho remains on the Browns’ roster, failed in Cleveland. “Still waiting for a text/call from [Stefanski] after I was sent away like a piece of trash. Can’t wait to see you twice a year coach.”
Baker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns talks with head coach Kevin Stefanski during the first half against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on October 10, 2021 in Inglewood, California. (John McCoy/Getty Images)
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“For me, anytime, whether it’s a good relationship or a bad relationship, if you’re familiar with the person, you want to win. Because you’re probably going to run into them later down the road, and you always want the last laugh. As a competitor, you never want to lose, but you definitely never want to lose to someone that you know really well.”
Mayfield said teammates reached out “pretty quickly” after Stefanski signed with the Bucs’ division rival, “but it’s February. We’ve got a long way to go.”
However, one can never hold a grudge against Mayfield’s childhood favorite, Sonic. Mayfield recently partnered with the fast food brand in what is a full-circle deal.
“Growing up in Texas, Sonic has been great to me. This is where we used to hang out when you’re younger, nothing else to do, go to a side parking lot and just hang out. And playing college football in Oklahoma and the headquarters is in Oklahoma City, so it’s one of those things and connections everywhere,” Mayfield said. “Big burger guy, then the Sonic Smasher, it’s hard to beat, to be honest with you. I don’t really have to sell it. People try it and it speaks for itself.
“I can go back to elementary school, my dad would come in and surprise me, drop off Sonic for lunch. It was the best day in the world. All the kids would look at me pretty jealous.”
This was the first season since pre-Brady that the Bucs missed the playoffs. It came down to watching the Falcons and New Orleans Saints to see if the Bucs or Mayfield’s former Panthers would win the division. When the Panthers won, the season became “really disappointing.”
“You root for a team but you have no control over a game, I can’t do that full-time. It’s hard to do,” he said.
But with a healthy offensive line, another year with Emeka Egbuka and a full season with Chris Godwin and Bucky Irving, Mayfield is issuing the warning.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield (6) jogs off the field after the first half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Monday, Sept. 15, 2025, in Houston, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
“It starts up front. This is not a shame party or an excuse, but we’ve never had our, on paper, our certified O-linemen. They didn’t even take a snap together. So it’s tough. The NFL, it starts and ends with the big guys up front, whether it’s offensive line, defensive line, the game is always won as a whole team, so when you play. Don’t have your five knobs consistently playing together, those guys get in a groove together and they can change the course of the season,” Mayfield said.
“Hopefully having those guys back and being healthy will be a big difference for us. And to me, just continue to develop our young receivers and get on the same page with who we have.
