In the second half of the 2022 NFL season, the Los Angeles Rams needed a quarterback, and they found Baker Mayfield available in waivers. His career with the NFC West team was short, and now the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback has opened up about his brief stint at California.
Matthew Stafford’s injury gave Baker Mayfield the opportunity to continue playing last year. After being released by the Carolina Panthers, the quarterback was claimed off waivers by the Rams to lead the team until the end of the campaign.
Even though he had a decent season with Los Angeles, the team decided not to extend his contract. Now that he’s with the Buccaneers, the quarterback has spoken about his time at LA, sending a message to his former team.
Baker Mayfield gets real on his short career with the Rams
Baker Mayfield has struggled to prove himself to the NFL recently. After leaving the Cleveland Browns, the former Oklahoma player signed with the Panthers for the 2022 season to be their starter.
Mayfield won the competition against Sam Darnold, but he quickly lost the job. Carolina decided to move on from the former 1st-overall pick and released him mid-season, but the Rams claimed him off waivers to give him another chance.
The 28-year-old arrived to cover Matthew Stafford, who missed the second half of the campaign due to multiple injuries. Mayfield had a 1-3 record with the Rams, completing 82 passes out of 129 attempts for 850 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions.
Even though his numbers were not so bad, the Rams decided not to extend his contract and he became a free agent at the end of the season. Now that he’s with the Buccaneers, Mayfield remembers his time with Los Angeles with a very special feeling.
“I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. It was the first time I had fun playing football in a few years,” Mayfield told The New York Post about his time with the Rams. “It brought that feeling of having that success and really remembering what it was all about, kind of hit the reset button for me.”