Carolina Panthers QB Baker Mayfield knows the starting job has to be fought for.
And he knows what’s at stake for him if he wins it. If he goes into the season as the starter, he’ll be facing his former team right out of the gate. Baker talks about competing for that job and the chance to start in the regular-season opener on Sept. 11 against Cleveland.
Of course he has this game circled already.
“I’m not going to sit here and be a robot and tell you that’s not one I’ve marked on the calendar already,” Mayfield said. “One, that’s not who I am. To me, it’s about winning games. Whoever we have marked on the schedule, I’m going to try to win. Obviously, this one has a little more history and personal meaning, but for me, it’s about winning and setting the tone for the rest of the year, and however I can help this team do that, I’m going to do.”
Baker Mayfield has Week 1 circled on his calendar
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— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 12, 2022
Asked if he was the kind of person who held grudges, Mayfield smirked and said: “I try not to.”
Mayfield spoke more on the trade that sent him out of Cleveland.
“There was a little bit of sacrifice on all three fronts, between Cleveland, Carolina, and myself,” Mayfield said. “To me, it’s ready for a fresh start first and foremost. I’m extremely grateful for the four years I had in Cleveland, it’s a great football town. It’s the start of my career, however long, God willing, it will be. I’m thankful for it.
“A lot of ups and downs, a lot of things I learned, but when it came down to it, it was wanting a fresh start, wanting to be with a coach and a GM that truly wanted me, . . . and just wanting the same thing, and that’s to win football games. “
Mayfield also spoke about his reputation.
“There’s always a preconceived notion about anybody, maybe with myself a little more so than others,” he said. “But I just look forward to getting in the building and letting guys know how much I truly love football and how much fun I have doing it and the process. So some of that just comes with time; some of it comes with having lunch and talking to guys, not during practice. Every situation is different, and I’ve always tried to be a guy who gravitates toward others and elevates their game and who they are, and just try to poke fun at people and bring the best out of them. That’s just how I’ve always been. It just takes being around the building for that to happen.”
It sounds like it’s Mayfield’s job to lose. If he does what he’s supposed to, he should be starting against the Browns week 1.
Football season can’t come soon enough…
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