Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield hasn’t changed, we have: “Same shit, different day”

Baker Mayfield doesn’t see a new narrative – just a new audience. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback, who’s led his team to an impressive 4–1 start, brushed off questions about how public perception of him has evolved, saying he’s the same person he’s always been.

“Early on in my career it was ‘cocky, immature.’ Now it’s ‘moxie’ and ‘he’s a dog,’” Mayfield told reporters after Sunday’s win. “Same shit, different day. As long as you play well, they change the narrative. You’ve just gotta be yourself, and I’ve always been like that.”

Mayfield’s redemption arc

Once branded as too brash during his early years in Cleveland, Mayfield has found something closer to balance in Tampa. He says he’s “matured in different ways,” but insists that his core hasn’t changed – only that he no longer sweats the “little things that really don’t matter.”

What’s different now is how fans and media interpret his swagger. His tunnel banter with a heckling Seahawks fan before kickoff went viral this week – but this time, it was celebrated as leadership, not arrogance. ESPN’s Jenna Laine triggered a fresh convo for her followers on X.

Winning can make the difference

Mayfield knows what’s driving the shift: top performances. With Tampa Bay’s offense clicking under new play-caller Josh Grizzard and Mayfield completing key deep balls, his old “chip-on-the-shoulder” energy feels less like defiance and more like confidence earned.

So, maybe just the same Baker... but through a different lens.

Here’s the full exchange with reporters.

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