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Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield clearly hasn’t forgotten how his time in Cleveland ended after attempting to attack new Atlanta Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski on Tuesday night.
Mayfield took issue with a tweet from an Atlanta-based journalist who wrote about Stefanski’s tenure in Cleveland, specifically the number of quarterbacks he had to work with because none seemed to stick around.
However, Mayfield sees the situation differently, saying he was kicked out of the Browns organization as “trash” despite being the team’s No. 1 overall pick and helping them reach the playoffs for the first time since 2002 during the 2020 campaign, Stefanski’s first year as head coach.
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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)
Now that Stefanski will see Mayfield and the Bucs twice a season in his new role, the veteran quarterback welcomed him to the NFC South in a way only he can.
“Failed is a great friend,” Mayfield said, referencing a reporter’s story that said Mayfield and Deshaun Watson, who remains on the Browns roster, failed in Cleveland. “I’m still waiting for a text/call from [Stefanski] After they sent me away like a piece of trash. “I can’t wait to see you twice a year, coach.”
The rivalry has already begun and Stefanski has not yet practiced with the Falcons.
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The Browns moved on from Stefanski, 43, after going 5-12 in his sixth season with the franchise. After a 3-14 campaign in 2024, the Browns felt it was time for new leadership in the building, and the search continues to find their next man on the bench.
Stefanski immediately became an attractive head coaching candidate in the league. He was the second coach to come off the board, with John Harbaugh leading the way as he took over the New York Giants job.
Shortly after, the Falcons announced the signing of Stefanski, giving him a five-year contract.
But Mayfield is clearly angry about how things ended in Cleveland. And while he ultimately found a home in Tampa Bay, it looks like there will be some extra motivation on his twice-yearly schedule going forward.
Mayfield was the No. 1 overall pick in 2018. After sub-.500 seasons while acclimating to the NFL, he began working with Stefanski in 2020, and Cleveland finally got on the right path.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on January 3, 2022 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. (Mark Alberti/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Mayfield went 11-5 that year, earning a playoff berth and winning in the wild card round to secure the first playoff victory of his career. Despite a loss in the divisional round, the football world believed Mayfield was the right man and Stefanski was finally the coach needed to right the ship.
But after going 6-8 in his fourth season in Cleveland, Mayfield was traded to the Carolina Panthers following the Browns’ trade with the Houston Texans for Watson.
Just like that, Mayfield’s time with the Browns was over and he was forced back into a quarterback competition. He beat out Sam Darnold to start the 2022 season, but after going 1-5 to start the season, the Panthers released him.
Mayfield was claimed by the Los Angeles Rams, and head coach Sean McVay made the most of the situation, including inserting the Oklahoma product into a game two days after joining the team. He led the team to a come-from-behind victory.
While it would be Mayfield’s only win with the Rams, the Bucs gave him another chance at starting quarterback following Tom Brady’s retirement following the 2022 campaign. Mayfield led the Bucs to the playoffs in year one, defeating the Philadelphia Eagles at home in the wild card round.
The Buccaneers gave Mayfield a three-year, $100 million contract to be their starter for the foreseeable future.
Baker Mayfield took a shot at his former Browns coach Kevin Stefanski, who now leads the Atlanta Falcons, the Bucs’ NFC South rivals. (GETTY)
So while things worked out for Mayfield, who never gave up on his hopes as an NFL starter, it seems like he would have at least appreciated a phone call from his coach.
Stefanski finished his tenure in Cleveland with a 45-56 record in 101 career games. He will now work with quarterback Michael Penix, running back Bijan Robinson and the rest of Atlanta’s young core pieces.
