Following the reign of Tom Brady, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were in jeopardy of filling his shoes as a starter. The team then brought Baker Mayfield in free agency, which technically generated a QB battle between Kyler Trask and Mayfield to determine their choice.
In that battle, Mayfield won the heart of the Bucs, which led them to announce him as the unanimous hero of their quarterback room. The quarterback also gave them solace, leading them to win their Week 1 game. Meanwhile, the game also came into the limelight due to a signal-discovery rumor that Baker addressed by subtly criticizing the Astros.
Mayfield’s strong debut fuels Bucs to victory over Vikings
The Bucs started off their regular season with a stunning 20-17 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. With two touchdown passes and no interceptions, Baker Mayfield appeared to have revitalized the Tampa Bay team’s attack and displayed a competitive edge.
By finishing the game with just 173 passing yards and completing only 61.8% of his throws, the 28-year-old evidently succeeded Brady in taking over his role. After completing 3 of his first 11 passes, Baker completed 21 of 34. Todd Bowles, the head coach of the Bucs, applauded their newly named starter for his excellent start after the Bucs’ unexpected victory.
“Baker’s gutsy. He’s tough. The guys stayed behind him,” Bowles said.
The Cleveland Browns’ first pick in the 2018 draft ended up with the Buccaneers as his fourth team in three years to replace the iconic, retiring seven-time Super Bowl champion.
Baker Mayfield addresses Astros sign-stealing scandal in MLB
According to reports that surfaced following a thorough MLB investigation, the Astros stole signs from opposing teams in 2017 and 2018 using a video camera unlawfully placed in center field. Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch were both suspended for the entire 2020 season for their involvement in this heinous act.
Apart from losing their reputation, the Astros were forced to deal with a $5 million fine in addition to losing their first- and second-round selection picks for the 2020 and 2021 drafts.
However, following the dramatic Buccaneer’s victory, the issue was brought to light once more when the Bucs’ running back, Rachaad White, said that their starting quarterback had learned the Vikings’ signals during the game.
“I just remember Bake came in the locker room, literally at halftime, he said, ‘I got it. We got all these signals,” White said.
In response to inquiries about White’s revelation, Baker Mayfield gave it the cold shoulder during a press conference on Wednesday. Instead of explicitly responding, he took a sly jab at the Astros by bringing up their 2017 sign-stealing saga.
“Listen, I know I’m in Tampa, but I’m a Texas Rangers fan, not a Houston Astros fan, so we’re not going to get into that,” Mayfield said.
It is unknown if Baker Mayfield received the Vikings’ signals, but it is certain that he has learned the ones required to take Brady’s place in Tampa Bay.
