Mayfield Softens Criticism of Ex-Coach Stefanski

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield has softened his earlier criticism of Kevin Stefanski, his former head coach with the Cleveland Browns, following Stefanski's recent hiring by NFC South rival Atlanta Falcons.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated during radio row at the Super Bowl buildup, Mayfield addressed his January social media post that questioned Stefanski's handling of his 2022 trade from Cleveland. "There's stuff there, but it's not like it's beef," Mayfield said. "We've worked together. Anytime you know somebody, you want to beat them, whether it's a good or bad relationship." He clarified that any added motivation for the upcoming divisional matchups stems from the Buccaneers' desire to reclaim the NFC South title, which they lost for the first time in several years, rather than personal animosity. "Not a revenge game of a sense of Atlanta, but we lost the division for the first time since four or five years, so any divisional game will be a revenge game, I guess," Mayfield added.

The initial tension arose shortly after the Falcons announced Stefanski's hiring in January. Responding on X to a Falcons beat reporter's post about Stefanski's past with...