Baker Mayfield gets his first look at the Cleveland Browns as Tampa Bay’s starting quarterback on Sunday, and the former No. 1 pick is treating the Week 2 home opener like a chance to settle old business.
Both teams are 0-1. The Buccaneers lost 33-27 at Cincinnati. The Browns fell 34-10 at Jacksonville.
Mayfield went 23 of 28 for 216 yards against the Bengals. He ran for 30 yards and a score but lost three fumbles in a game Tampa Bay let slip away.
Deshaun Watson, the quarterback Cleveland brought in after moving on from Mayfield, completed 16 of 22 passes for 205 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He ran for 38 yards and was sacked five times.
Kickoff is 1 p.m. ET Sunday at Raymond James Stadium on CBS.
Mayfield spent four seasons in Cleveland after the Browns drafted him first overall in 2018. He finished 29-30 as a starter there.
He is 27-25 as Tampa Bay’s starter since arriving in 2023. Cleveland has gone 26-43 since trading him and is 9-11 in games Watson has started.
Mayfield signed a three-year, $165 million extension just before this season. He has already made more than $131 million in his career.
Tampa Bay’s Wednesday injury report listed safety Miles Killebrew (concussion) and cornerback Jacob Parrish (back) as limited. Wide receiver Jalen McMillan (knee) and running back Sean Tucker (hamstring) practiced fully after missing the opener.
Cleveland had guard Teven Jenkins (back) sit out. Centers Elgton Jenkins (back) and Parker Brailsford (thumb), defensive tackle Maliek Collins (quad) and tackle Dawand Jones (head) were limited.
Mayfield did not hide that the matchup means something. He framed it as a chance to leave no doubt about which side comes out ahead.
“Any time there’s history between a franchise, a coaching staff, anybody; you want to come on the winning side of that, no matter what,” Mayfield said. “Obviously it’s very different there, staff-wise and everybody.”
He said the lesson he still uses from those Cleveland years is showing up the same way every day and running the offense with purpose.
“Trying to be the same person each and every day for the guys in the locker room, the people you work with, the staff, that you’re around each day,” Mayfield said. “Controlling who I am each and every day, trying to lead the best way possible, control the offense, and ultimately win.”
Watson, speaking Wednesday, said he respects what Mayfield has done.
“I respect Baker and everything he did since college,” Watson said. “He’s a hell of a player and hell of a quarterback and they paid him for a reason.”
Mayfield spent the week stressing ball security after the three lost fumbles. He said the focus is on details now so the offense can play free on Sunday.
The Buccaneers are trying to get to .500 in their home opener. Cleveland is trying to avoid 0-2 in Todd Monken’s first season as head coach.
Mayfield has rebuilt his career in Tampa after Cleveland chose a different direction. Sunday is the first time he gets to line up against that franchise as the Buccaneers’ locked-in starter.
