_“It was all a dream, Kyle.”_
Two years ago at this time, Bucs fans were barking at each other and picking sides in the Baker Mayfield-Kyle Trask battle for the starting quarterback job.
But, it seems, per a prominent Bucs official speaking today, Mayfield didn’t believe he was competing.
That feels like such a Mayfield mindset, or maybe he just didn’t think Trask was any good.
Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht pulled back the curtain a bit on this subject during his chat with SiriusXM NFL Radio.
Licht was asked what’s different about Mayfield since he arrived in Tampa two years ago. The GM said Mayfield is the same alpha male he was when he signed his Bucs contract.
> “He hasn’t changed a lot since we’ve signed him,” Licht said. “I know he has changed a lot since he was drafted. But he walked in here with confidence that he was gonna win the job. I mean, ‘I told him, you know, you’re gonna be competing.’ He’s like, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, I understand.’ But basically he was like, ‘Okay, but yeah, but I got the job.’
>
> “The players just naturally just are attracted to him because of the toughness and just the way he carries himself. You know, part of the reason that I think he’s having success is because … I saw this quote somewhere and it totally fits him. It’s, ‘slow success builds character and fast success builds ego.’ And I think what he’s been through, what he’s seen both on and off the field, I think he’s in a really good spot.”
Mayfield could prove to be the greatest signing in Bucs history if he wins a Super Bowl. It’s been that great of a rise for a guy pulled off the street.
As for Mayfield making it clear to the boss it was his job from Day 1 is very telling. It’s probably a huge part of what allowed Mayfield to get off to such a great start Week 1 in Minnesota in 2023 — after he beat out Trask, of course.