Baker Mayfield’s metamorphosis has been impressive. In the explosive Los Angeles Rams frenzy of the 2022 NFL season, it all flipped for him. After an up-and-down period with the Cleveland Browns before a brief tenure with the Carolina Panthers, Mayfield came to the Rams in December. He came with a renewed sense of activism and urgency. His trip ended up being a turning point for his career. It provided a long overdue shot of energy for the listless Rams squad that went on to finish the season at a dismal 5-12.
When he landed in Los Angeles, Mayfield was presented with a shortened version of the Rams’ game plan. So, studying it together, he dove in. This swift adjustment might have been the most important of all, particularly given that the Rams hadn’t practiced a full day that week. Mayfield personally led the charge to assemble these big players. He had in-depth conversations on different concepts and strategies with offensive coordinator Liam Coen and head coach Sean McVay. That kind of collaborative atmosphere seemed to help enable Mayfield to quickly learn the Browns’ playbook and offensive concepts.
Like many defending champions, the Rams 2022 season was marred by adversity. McVay began facing injuries that upended the roster, but more significantly, it was a difficult time for the young coach personally. The team struggled to find its footing, but Mayfield’s arrival brought a sense of optimism during a low point in the season. Allen Robinson, a Rams wide receiver, remarked on the impact of Mayfield’s presence:
“That season was so bad for us just as far as injuries, record and everything that could have gone wrong went wrong. And kind of in a low point or a dark point of the season, Baker definitely brought kind of light to our whole building.” – Allen
Mayfield’s frenetic 48 hours with the Rams involved practice for a sudden chance to start. For one, starting quarterback John Wolford has a neck injury. Mayfield is jumping through hoops and clearly chomping at the bit to get back on the field should they need him. His deep-ball prowess gave the Rams something as a threat that Wolford couldn’t.
Even though he had few live practice repetitions with his new teammates, Mayfield took the challenge head on. He wanted to know the nuances of their routes, their techniques. He would ask questions of them showing that he was all in on learning this new offense.
“Honestly, I was asking questions like, ‘Hey, how do these guys run these routes? How do they come out of it?’” – Mayfield
This proactive approach paid off. In his debut with the Rams, Mayfield had an impressive performance. He made a key throw on a big conversion to former Rams receiver Van Jefferson. McVay noted the significance of that moment:
“Once he hit that first throw to Van and from there it was like, ‘All right, hey, let’s let this guy go.’” – Robinson
The Rams’ coaching staff immediately saw in Mayfield what they perceived to be an “igniter” to their offense. McVay expressed his admiration for Mayfield’s performance and adaptability during those initial weeks together:
“He’s an igniter and you could just feel that there was something. I was just super impressed, but I don’t want to say I was surprised.” – McVay
Mayfield’s tenure in Los Angeles was brief, appearing in just three games. He later signed a one-year, $4 million contract in March with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the 2023 season, looking to take over for Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady. His knowledge from working in Los Angeles could not be overstated. It prepared him mentally and bolstered his motivation to succeed in a pressure-cooker football atmosphere instead of merely collecting a paycheck.
It’s clear as Mayfield starts the next chapter of his career with the Rams that he understands just how pivotal this chapter could be for him. He learned that he doesn’t want to simply chase a paycheck. Instead, he aims to contribute meaningfully to a team’s success. Such an insatiable attitude makes it easy to paint an optimistic picture about his long-term success at the next level.
Leave a Reply