Bucs' Mayfield 'can't wait to see' Stefanski twice a year

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield turned up the heat in a division rivalry after the Atlanta Falcons hired Kevin Stefanski as their new head coach.

Mayfield and Stefanski previously worked together on the Cleveland Browns during the 2020 and 2021 seasons, but the memories apparently remain a sore spot for the 30-year-old quarterback. On Tuesday, Mayfield fired back at an article that labelled his time in Cleveland as a failure, directing pointed remarks at his former coach.

"Failed is quite the reach pal," Mayfield posted on X. "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."

Cleveland drafted Mayfield with the first overall pick in 2018, hoping the Oklahoma product could solve the team's decades-long quarterback woes. Mayfield's most successful season with the Browns came in 2020, when he led them to their first playoff win since 1994.

However, Mayfield's tenure in Cleveland ended in a contentious split, marked by a strained relationship with star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and friction with the front office. The two-time Pro Bowler later revealed that a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder hampered him throughout his final season with the club in 2021.

After acquiring Deshaun Watson in a trade with the Houston Texans in March 2022, the Browns subsequently traded Mayfield to the Carolina Panthers a few months later.

Mayfield has since proven to be a franchise-caliber quarterback in Tampa Bay. He guided the Bucs to NFC South titles and playoff appearances in 2023 and 2024 before Tampa narrowly missed out on a third straight postseason appearance in 2025.

Stefanski parted ways with the Browns on Jan. 5 after posting a 5-12 record in his sixth season at the helm. The Falcons named him their new head coach on Jan. 17, succeeding Raheem Morris following his three-year stint.