Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield prepares to face the Cleveland Browns on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season, reuniting with the franchise that traded him in July 2022 amid lingering fan frustration and blunt criticism from opposing coaching staff.
Ken Zampese Rips the Browns Over the Baker Mayfield Trade
“They had the guy, and they gave him up.”
Ken Zampese, Buccaneers senior offensive assistant/pass game specialist
Zampese served as Mayfield’s quarterbacks coach during the rookie’s 2018 campaign in Cleveland, a season where the team rebounded strongly during the second half.
“The year we were there, we were one of the best offenses in the NFL the second half of that season, 5-3, in a place that was — before that season started — 1-31. The script got flipped and the city came alive because they finally drafted a quarterback that worked out for them and they mucked it up. They mucked it up.”
Ken Zampese, Buccaneers senior offensive assistant/pass game specialist
A Contentious Exit and the Deshaun Watson Sweepstakes
The root of Sunday’s underlying tension traces back to March 2022, when Cleveland entered the bidding for Deshaun Watson despite more than two dozen women accusing Watson of sexual misconduct or sexual assault during his tenure with the Houston Texans.
That acquisition triggered Mayfield’s trade request and his departure to the Carolina Panthers for a conditional fifth-round pick. While Mayfield endured a difficult stint in Carolina and a brief stop with the Los Angeles Rams, Cleveland’s subsequent investment has yielded severe on-field struggles. Since the start of the 2023 season, the Browns have cycled through nine different starting quarterbacks who have combined for a 19-33 record, throwing 60 touchdowns against 62 interceptions, according to Bleacher Report.
Mayfield Finds Stability and a Multiyear Extension in Tampa Bay
Mayfield caught on with the Buccaneers in 2023 on a one-year free-agent deal following Tom Brady’s retirement. He immediately guided the team to an NFC South division title, earning a three-year, $100 million contract extension. Following a standout 2024 campaign where he threw for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdown passes, Tampa Bay committed further before the start of the current season by inking him to a three-year, $165 million extension keeping him signed through 2029.
Across 52 starts with the Buccaneers, Mayfield has compiled a 27-25 record with 12,453 passing yards, 95 touchdown passes, and a 66.6 completion percentage. Speaking on The Rich Eisen Show ahead of the Week 2 contest, Mayfield downplayed any personal vendetta against the front office personnel who traded him, emphasizing instead that his focus remains fixed on the current matchup and establishing his long-term standing in Florida, reported Yardbarker.
“It’s just about winning. I really could care less about what’s going on with their QB situation in their building. It’s just about beating them and letting them know that I found a home.”
Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback
Week 2 Stakes at Raymond James Stadium
Both squads enter Sunday looking to rebound from difficult opening-week defeats. The Browns dropped a 34-10 decision to the Jacksonville Jaguars on September 13, falling behind 31-0 in the third quarter while committing 11 penalties for 75 yards under first-year head coach Todd Monken. Meanwhile, Mayfield and the Buccaneers suffered a 33-27 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, a game where Mayfield lost three fumbles.
Defenders in Cleveland are fully expecting a hostile, highly motivated opposing signal-caller.
Worth a look
