In 2022, the Carolina Panthers benched Baker Mayfield for Sam Darnold prior to their Week 12 contest against the Denver Broncos. Mayfield, the former No. 1 overall pick, was relegated to the scout team, filling in as a defensive tackle.
His benching and eventual release in Carolina was undoubtedly a low point, and he played for four different teams over the course of eight months. However, he ultimately found a home with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he’s now thriving.
Since he knows what it’s like to be benched as a No. 1 overall pick by the Panthers, Mayfield weighed in on the Bryce Young situation on Wednesday.
Baker Mayfield Offers Encouragement to Bryce Young
Many people were ready to write off Mayfield when he was benched and eventually released by Carolina, he redeemed himself with the Bucs.
Mayfield had a career year in 2023, throwing for 4,044 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, leading Tampa Bay to a playoff win over the Philadelphia Eagles, and playing in the Pro Bowl (where he won Offensive MVP).
Baker Mayfield in 2018: First pick in the NFL draft
Mayfield in 2022: Scout team DT pic.twitter.com/PB7GcWqOO9
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) November 4, 2022
Mayfield believes Young has a similarly bright future ahead, regardless of what the 23-year-old is going through right now.
“Obviously, mine didn’t happen in the same timeframe as Bryce, but quarterback is hard, especially for young guys when you’re not surrounded with the pieces and you’re not given the opportunity to have success,” Mayfield said. “A lot of the time, guys have the talent, they might have the brains, but they don’t have the right opportunity, the right fit.
“I mean, Im sitting here right now in a way better fit than the other places I’ve been. That’s not to put other teams down, but it’s a matter of the pieces around you, the coaches. For Bryce, I could relate to this, it’s [about] finding that belief within yourself again. He’ll get it. His story is far, far from finished.”
As a rookie, Young was the NFL’s lowest-graded QB, posting a 73.7 Passer Rating and averaging 5.5 yards per attempt. Young had more games with multiple interceptions (three) than multiple touchdowns (two). He completed just 59.8% of his passes for 2,877 yards as a rookie while throwing 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Young was benched after the Panthers got off to an 0-2 start during his sophomore season. Young threw zero touchdowns and three interceptions, and he was sacked six times.
As Mayfield said, so much of a quarterback’s success comes down to their surroundings — from their weapons to the coaching staff to the scheme fit. Funnily enough, the quarterback who took Mayfield’s job in Carolina, Sam Darnold, is also thriving now that he’s in a better situation with the Minnesota Vikings.
Don’t be surprised if Young is able to have similar success at a later date, perhaps after a change of scenery.