Baker Mayfield opens up on ex-teammate Sam Darnold, revitalizing career, and Kevin Stefanski joining NFC South

Believe it or not, it was not that long ago that Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold, the first and third picks of the 2018 NFL Draft, were teammates competing for a starting job with the Carolina Panthers. Less than four years later, all three parties have found major success.

Mayfield figured himself out with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Carolina Panthers made the playoffs with Bryce Young, and Darnold will be playing in the Super Bowl on Sunday.

In a sit-down interview with Fox News Digital during Super Bowl media week, Mayfield admitted that the entire situation was "interesting." But as someone who has a similar journey to Darnold, he can't help but root for him.

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"I'm so happy for Sam, having similar stories and journeys, really happy for him. He's fought through and come out better on the other side. He's found a home in Seattle, hopefully they get it done for his sake," Mayfield said.

"In Carolina, not every situation is right for it. We were there together, different staff, different GM, all that, then you hire Dave Canales. I know he's going to help Bryce Young develop and make him become a better player. When you have belief like that and it starts to change the culture after it's been bad for a few years, that's the confidence that people - you don't want to underestimate that."

That's exactly what happened to Mayfield, who never quite found his footing with the Cleveland Browns, then went to Carolina before being traded to the Los Angeles Rams to back up Matthew Stafford for less than half a season. Then he had big shoes to fill by replacing Tom Brady in Tampa Bay, but it's all worked out.

"It just takes being in the right fit and understanding as a QB what system you want to be in, and you have to be able to be on the same page with everybody," Mayfield said. "Through all the ups and downs, don't lose your self-confidence, and understanding that as long as I can learn something from each opportunity, good things will happen."

Mayfield admittedly is a guy who holds grudges - he had some things to say about former Panthers head coach Steve Wilks earlier in the season, and he took a shot at new Atlanta Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski, his first NFL coach, last week.

Mayfield took exception to a tweet from an Atlanta-based journalist who wrote about Stefanski's tenure in Cleveland, specifically the number of quarterbacks he had to work with because none seemed to stick. The writer said Mayfield "failed" in Cleveland.

"Failed is quite the reach pal," Mayfield responded on X, referencing a note from the reporter who said Mayfield and Deshaun Watson, who remains on the Browns' roster, failed in Cleveland. "Still waiting on a text/call from [Stefanski] after I got shipped off like a piece of garbage. Can't wait to see you twice a year, Coach."

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"For me, anytime, whether it's a good relationship or bad relationship, if you're familiar with the person, you want to win. Because you're probably gonna run into them later on down the road, and you want to have the last laugh always. As a competitor, you never want to lose, but you definitely never want to lose to somebody that you know really well."

Mayfield said teammates reached out "pretty quick" after Stefanski signed with the Bucs' division rival, "but it's February. We got a long way to go."

No grudge can ever be held against Mayfield's childhood favorite, Sonic, however. Mayfield recently partnered with the fast-food brand in what is a full-circle deal.

"Growing up in Texas, Sonic's been fantastic for me. It's where we used to hang out when you're younger, nothing else to do, go to a side parking lot and just hang out. And playing college football in Oklahoma, and the headquarters are in Oklahoma City, so it's one of those things and connections everywhere," Mayfield said. "Big burger guy, so the Sonic Smasher, it's hard to beat, to be honest with you. I don't really have to sell it. People try it and it speaks for itself.

"I can go back to elementary school, my dad would come in and surprise me, drop off Sonic for lunch. It was the best day in the world. Every kid would look at me pretty jealous."

This was the first season since pre-Brady that the Bucs missed out on the playoffs. It came down to watching the Falcons and New Orleans Saints to see whether the Bucs or Mayfield's former Panthers would win the division. When the Panthers won, the season turned "really disappointing."

"You're rooting for a team, but you have no control over a game, I cannot do that full time. It's hard to do," he said.

But with a healthy offensive line, another year of Emeka Egbuka, and a full season of Chris Godwin and Bucky Irving, Mayfield is putting out the warning.

"It starts up front. This is not a pity party or an excuse, but we never had our, on paper, our cetified O-linemen. They didn't even take a snap together. So that's tough. NFL, it starts and ends with the big guys up front, whether it's offensive line, defensive line, game's always won in the trenches. Those guys set the tone for the whole game, for the team. So when you don't have your five studs consistently playing together, those guys get in a groove together, and they can change the course of the season," Mayfield said.

"Hopefully having those guys back and being healthy will be a big difference for us. And for me, just continue to develop our young receivers and get on the same page with whoever we got.

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