The bond between Baker Mayfield and Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is brief, but strong.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback only played five games for L.A. in 2022 when Stafford was injured, but Mayfield had nothing but positive things to say about the Rams quarterback during their time together.
Ahead of their Week 12 showdown, Mayfield lauded Stafford as one of the elite quarterbacks not just in the NFL currently, but in NFL history.
“To me, he’s always been a top-3 or 5 quarterback in the league,” Mayfield said this week. “And one of the best, if not the best, pure passer ever in the history of the NFL.
Mayfield revitalized his career with the Buccaneers, something he said he wouldn’t have been able to accomplish without his time with the Rams. Some of that comes from the mentorship Stafford provided from the sideline during their limited time together.
Since Mayfield joined the Buccaneers following his stint with the Rams, he’s completed 66.9% of his passes for 10,909 yards, 86 touchdowns and only 26 interceptions in 44 games. He’s also led Tampa Bay to consecutive NFC South titles, although he hasn’t been able to advance further than the divisional round of the postseason.
Now, Mayfield will face off against his one-time mentor in Week 12. Neither side has played the other before in the regular season, as Mayfield only played the Lions after Stafford left and played the Rams before Stafford joined.
The match will be incredibly important for both sides. Tampa Bay needs to keep its lead in the division, while the Rams will want to hold their own lead for the NFC West and push toward a No. 1 seed in the NFC.