WOODLAND HILLS, Ca. On Thursday, Los Angeles Rams defender Jared Verse made one thing clear. He wants to face off against Baker Mayfield and he's happy his wish will be granted this Sunday.
“I've been wanting to play Baker for a very long time," stated Verse. "I've been admiring him since he was in college. Looking at him like, damn I want to go up against him. Now I finally get that opportunity. I'm excited for it.”
Verse was asked if there was a game that made him feel that way. Verse would talk about one of Mayfield's most controversial collegiate games.
“It was that Kansas game. That was the game where I was like, ‘Yeah that's a dog. I want to go against him one day.’ I didn't even care if we were on the same team or something in practice. I just wanted to go up against him and see what it was like.”
Baker Mayfield
Nov 16, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) celebrates his touchdown against the Buffalo Bills during the second quarter of the game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images / Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
In that game, Mayfield, who was an Oklahoma Sooner, took rightful offense at Kansas players refusing to shake hands before the game. Mayfield responded with phrases and gestures that landed him in hot water with then-Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley.
Mayfield, one of the most difficult quarterbacks to defeat, has made a career of staging dramatic comebacks in critical situations. As a result of his play, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cleveland Browns have made the postseason, winning playoff games with Mayfield at the helm.
Baker Mayfield
Buffalo Bills defensive tackle DaQuan Jones starts his sack on Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield which forced a fumble that the Bills recovered during second half action against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Nov 16, 2025 at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. / Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
“He's a quarterback that can do it all," stated Verse. "He can run the ball. He can escape the pocket. He's a quarterback where he's not one of the quarterbacks who wants to run every play. He just wants to make a play, get the ball downfield and do something that can help his team. That adds its own set of problems in itself.”
The one trait that separates Mayfield is his inability to accept defeat, often escaping tackles and extending plays with his feet.
“I think it's just the ability that he has, the mindset of a defensive player," stated Verse. "He’s like, ‘No matter what it takes, I'm going to make a play,’ which could be detrimental at times, but for him it's not that. It doesn't put him in a bad spot. Other quarterbacks, they're doing a bunch of stuff. They're throwing picks off that, doing all sorts of crazy things. He's really in control when he has that ball in his hand.”
Mayfield joined the Rams in 2022 after he was released by the Carolina Panthers, who acquired him via trade from the Cleveland Browns that offseason. Mayfield, whose career appeared to have stalled, was called into emergency action after injuries in the quarterback room and despite having been a member of the franchise for mere days, Mayfield started a Thursday night game against the Raiders, leading the Rams on a game-winning drive that changed the trajectory of the organization, Mayfield, Sean McVay, Liam Coen and others.
Baker Mayfield
Dec 8, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay (left) and quarterback Baker Mayfield (17) celebrate after the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Verse, who was playing college football at the time, spoke on what he thought at the time.
“I remember seeing the interviews afterwards of him with [Head Coach] Sean [McVay] and everybody learning the plays on the way to the stadium," claimed Verse. "I was like, ‘Damn, that's crazy.’ It takes me a couple of weeks or a couple of months to get the playbook hand in hand. The quarterback, the knowledge is much greater than mine. I have a lot of respect for him, not just on the aspect of what he can do, but also the knowledge that he has.”
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