Baker Mayfield’s lighting up the gridiron in 2024 – he tossed for 4,500 yards, dropped 41 TDs, hit a slick 71.4% comp rate, and only threw 16 picks. Not to mention racking up career totals of 3,395 att, 2,157 comp, 171 TDs, 90 INTs, and 24,832 yds with a 91.2 passer rating. It’s like watching a classic underdog montage in a ‘Rocky’ sequel, where every stat tells a story of blood, sweat, and highlight reels.

In a twist straight out of a script by Quentin Tarantino, Liam Coen—the man behind the magic as Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ OC in ’24, steering a 10-7 season and nabbing the NFC South title—has pulled a fast one by jetting off to be the head honcho with the Jags. Despite the “betrayal” vibes, Baker Mayfield is chill as ever: “I’m happy for Liam, he’ll help Trevor Lawrence.” Mayfield, no stranger to dramatic NFL plot twists, added, “People have their thoughts about how it went down and I understand the emotional aspect of it, but I’m happy for Liam. He deserves an opportunity.”

Liam Coen, known for his McVay-style offense that ranked the Bucs 4th in points (29.5 points per game) and 3rd in total yards (399.6 YDs) in 2024, played a pivotal role in Mayfield’s career highs. Under Coen’s watchful eye, Baker thrived, setting multiple personal records and recharging his competitive spirit. Even as Coen jetted off to the Jags, Baker Mayfield remains grateful for the mentorship that helped him evolve from a struggling first-overall pick into the seasoned leader he is today—a journey as epic as any Hollywood redemption arc.

Baker Mayfield’s narrative showcases both his resilience and his impressive swagger. His journey from being a Heisman Trophy winner in college to delivering 2x Pro Bowl established him as a symbol for people overcoming challenges. Baker shows his spirit with each successful pass and touchdown by proving football combines heart with stats while living through an underdog story full of prime-time highlight reel drama. Now, shifting gears to another Bucs superstar, Mike Evans

Evan’s plan ahead

He wasn’t just handing out praise like a Marvel sidekick either; while Mike Evans dropped some future-retirement truth bombs that could rival any Tarantino monologue: “This is good practice for me in the Olympics. Most likely, I’ll be retired by 2028. How many years is that? 3 years. I don’t know. 2028. But if I am retired, I would definitely like to play in the Olympics.”

So Evans, the Bucs’ gridiron superstar exploded onto the scene in ’14. On November 16, 2014, this rookie dazzled against the Redskins with 7 catches for 209 yards and 2 TDs, propelling Tampa Bay to a 27-7 win and snapping a five-game skid like a true NFL miracle. It was a performance that had fans cheering like it was the season finale of a hit TV show, in his own words “I think I’m one of the best in the game.”

That game etched Evans into NFL history as the youngest player to notch 200+ receiving yards in a single contest, and the first rookie receiver since Randy Moss in ’98 to drop 100+ yard games with a TD in three consecutive outings. His rookie magic was like a plot twist in a summer blockbuster, turning skeptics into believers faster than you can say “Hail Mary.”

Since then, Evans has been on a tear—amassing 836 receptions for 12,684 yards and 105 TDs over 11 consecutive 1K-yard seasons, earning 6 Pro Bowl nods along the way. And as if that wasn’t enough, in March 2024 he inked a 2-year extension worth $52M (with $35M guaranteed, averaging $26M per year), proving he’s not just a highlight reel hero, but also a major player in the league’s high-stakes contract game so both Mayfield and Evans continue to keep the league as entertaining as a prime-time summer blockbuster.