“Ira, I told you they love me!”
You saw it back in 2023 in Baker Mayfield’s first game with the Bucs.
And now, in case you forgot, Bucky Irving is reminding Bucs fans. Baker Mayfield’s teammates have his back. Because he has theirs.
Back in the season opener in 2023, in a key run for a first down late in the game to help seal win, Mayfield lowered his shoulder and ran through a Vikings linebacker.
Then, Mayfield bounced up and barked at the linebacker that he needed to hit the weight room. In the background, you could see Bucs defenders erupt in glee, particularly Devin White.
Lavonte David later said that moment is when Mayfield fully won over the team. They had their quarterback.
Mayfield has been like that ever since.
Mike Garafolo and Maurice Jones-Drew of NFL Network were at the Bucs-Jets controlled scrimmage today and had a sitdown with Bucky.
MJD said he has never had a QB who will talk s(p)it to defenders after running them over like Mayfield. MJD wanted to know what it’s like to play with Mayfield.
Bucky said he loves Mayfield’s passion and how he attacks the game.
“That’s the type of guy you want to run through a wall for,” Bucky said.
He’s right. Mayfield’s Bucs teammates love how he approaches the game and is willing to sell out his body to move the chains.
Joe has a hunch Rueben Bain, Josiah Trotter and Keionte Scott can identify with that style and respond to it much better than the guys those three will replace in the starting lineup this fall.
"That's the type of guy you wanna run through a wall for" @BuckyIrving on @bakermayfield @MikeGarafolo | @MJD | @Buccaneers pic.twitter.com/cEYA1IpohD
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) August 12, 2026