The Los Angeles Rams will host old friend and former fill-in starter Baker Mayfield in Week 12 in his previous stomping grounds of SoFi Stadium. He will be quarterbacking the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and coming off a major announcement.
Despite spending a short time with the Rams, Mayfield left an indelible impression.
Moreover, his arrival played a significant part in Rams head coach Sean McVay rediscovering his passion for the game.
Baker Mayfield Announces 2nd Baby With Wife, Emily
GettyBaker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrates after defeating the Houston Texans.
“New addition coming April 2026, and we couldn’t feel luckier,” Emily Mayfield, the former Rams QB’s wife of six-plus years, said in the caption of a post on Instagram on November 18, announcing the birth of the couple’s second child.
Included were a host of photos of the pair alongside ultrasound images and their firstborn, daughter Kova Jade.
The post garnered the attention one might expect from such an announcement.
Former Cleveland Browns teammate Jarvis Landry said, “Amen. 🙏🏾 shake and bake 🔥,” while current Buccaneers defensive end Yaya Diaby predicted that the “Boy about to be a dawg🔥🔥 congrats!”
Bucs punter Riley Dixon said, “Congrats yall!! ❤️.”
Baker Mayfield’s Rams Comments Resurface
GettyMatthew Stafford #9 and Baker Mayfield #17 of the Los Angeles Rams speak before a game against the Green Bay Packers.
Mayfield’s previous comments about his time with McVay and the Rams came back to light ahead of his return to LA.
“I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. It was the first time I had fun playing football in a few years,” Mayfield said of his Rams tenure during a conference call with media before the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship, per Belle Fraser for The New York Post in June 2023.
“It brought that feeling of having that success and really remembering what it was all about. Kind of hit the reset button for me.”
Mayfield noted his Rams time and ties for making his transition to the Buccaneers smooth.
He has had two former Rams assistants in Dave Canales and Liam Coen, both of whom have since moved on to head coaching gigs with the Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars, respectively.
McVay spoke candidly when asked about Mayfield’s impact in a “short amount of time.” He cited the QB’s resilience and “natural leadership traits” as “some of the things that stood out.”
McVay touted Mayfield’s “mental stamina” and compared him to Matthew Stafford.
“I thought he brought a spark. He’s just got a great charisma and presence. He brought a spark. It was, obviously, cool to be able to get that result after what’s been a challenging season. But that’s kind of who he is,” McVay said.
“When you have certain guys that are innately thrust into leadership positions – whether that be the quarterback or the green dot on defense – and those guys have the things you’re looking for, they naturally elevate the spaces that they’re in and the people that they’re around. And that’s what guys like Matthew and Baker do.”
Sean McVay Gets Honest About ‘Darker Moments’ With Rams
Ezra Shaw/GettyLos Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay looks on against the San Francisco 49ers.
The Rams went 5-12 during the 2022 season as Stafford landed on injured reserve. They were 1-3 with Mayfield at the helm. However, he clearly made a strong positive impression on McVay. The coach noted how “challenging” that period was, despite winning the Super Bowl the year prior.
That campaign stands as the Rams’ only losing season with McVay as head coach.
“It revealed a lot of insecurities and shortcomings that I had, and I really had for a long time. It just wasn’t revealed because we didn’t necessarily have the results that kind of exposed some of the things that I needed a lot of work on. And by no means am I perfect, but I think that was one of the biggest blessings in disguise. It was hard. Didn’t like a lot of the things that it revealed,” McVay said.
“It really forces you to look at yourself in the mirror and say, ‘What are you really about?’ And I think it’s a great testament that you can really understand some of the best things come and what you might feel like are darker moments or real adversity from a career, and take them with a grain of salt. There’s way bigger adversities than losing games. But from just a professional perspective, and how much you want to do right by others, it revealed a lot of things that I needed work on, that are by no means perfect, but much improved.”
McVay pointed to an increased appreciation for the ups and downs of the job has made it “a lot more sustainable,” which is good news for the 8-2 Rams.
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