Baker Mayfield takes 'personal' shot at Jets coach with savage postgame quote

The New York Jets scored another "moral victory" in their 29-27 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3, nearly pulling off a miracle comeback before Baker Mayfield and the Bucs were able to drive down the field and win the game as time expired.

Mayfield made it clear after the game that this was more than just a win for his team. The former No. 1 overall pick insisted this game was "personal" for not only him, but also other players on the roster.

Mayfield spoke to reporters following the game and didn’t hold back, pointing to Jets defensive coordinator Steve Wilks as the coach who cut him in Carolina. He also remarked that this was a personal one for Haason Reddick and others on the team.

"Their D-coordinator was the one who cut me in Carolina. A lot of stuff was personal today. Haason Reddick. Former Jet. A lot of people."

Baker Mayfield

Mayfield finished the game completing 19-of-29 passes for 233 yards and a touchdown, while Reddick made a few key defensive plays in his first game against his former team.

Baker Mayfield takes shot at Steve Wilks and the Jets after Week 3 win

Mayfield’s mention of Wilks traces back to 2022, when both were with the Carolina Panthers. Mayfield arrived in Carolina that summer after a rocky exit from Cleveland, hoping to revive his career. Wilks, then the team’s interim head coach after Matt Rhule was fired, clearly wasn’t sold.

Mayfield started six games for the Panthers but struggled to find consistency, throwing just six touchdowns with six interceptions. By November, he had lost the starting job, and in December, Wilks made the call to release him outright following Mayfield's request.

It was a low point in Mayfield’s career, and he quickly landed with the Rams and flashed some life, but he clearly hasn't gotten over how his career in Carolina ended. And evidently, he holds Wilks accountable for it.

That’s the history Mayfield was alluding to after the Jets game. Facing a defense run by the same coach who showed him the door two years earlier, he turned the matchup into an opportunity to prove a point.

Wilks' defense hasn't gotten off to a very good start in New York. The Jets are allowing an average of 31 points per game through the the first three weeks of the season, although a pick-six in Week 3 didn't help.

Mayfield did his best to ensure Wilks regretted that decision from years ago. The Jets were left to wear it in another unfortunate late-game loss.

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