Updated Jan. 20, 2026, 9:57 p.m. ET
The Atlanta Falcons hired head coach Kevin Stefanski over the weekend, and by doing so, they inherited a new beef with Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield. Stefanski and Mayfield spent two seasons together in Cleveland (2020-2021) and led the Browns to their first playoff win in 25 years.
However, the relationship between Mayfield and Stefanski soured in Year 2, and during the 2022 NFL offseason, the Browns traded away the farm for quarterback Deshaun Watson. Mind you, this was while Mayfield was still on the roster.
Cleveland later traded away the former No. 1 overall pick to the Carolina Panthers for a conditional fifth-round selection. Mayfield bounced around before finding a permanent home with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2023.
Now that he has once again established himself as a top-10 quarterback, the trade looks even more foolish. Mayfield hasn’t forgotten about the way things ended in Cleveland, though.
On Tuesday, Mayfield called out his former head coach for tossing him aside and like a “piece of garbage” and not sending a single text once the trade was completed. The Bucs quarterback took exception to a tweet by D. Orlando Ledbetter that said he “failed” with the Browns.
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“Failed is quite the reach pal,” Mayfield said in response to Ledbetter’s tweet. “Still waiting on a text/call from him after I got shipped off like a piece of garbage. Can’t wait to see you twice a year, Coach.”
The Falcons haven’t been able to win the division since 2016, and that was before digging up Mayfield’s beef with Stefanski. However, it was reported by CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco that Stefanski was not on board with the trade for Watson.
Either way, Atlanta can look forward to facing a motivated Mayfield twice a year.
