Baker Mayfield has always loved proving his critics wrong. He thrives on the noise and enjoys silencing those who doubt him. However, former Buccaneers quarterback Shaun King has a different concern. It’s not when the critics are loud, but when they go silent that King worries the most.

Mayfield started the 2025 season on fire, playing at an MVP level. But as the season progressed, his performance began to slip. King believes this decline happened because Mayfield lost his competitive edge once he achieved that early success. The hunger that drives him seemed to fade away.

King, who was drafted by the Buccaneers in 1999, has watched Mayfield’s career closely. He believes Mayfield needs a strict coach to keep him focused. “Baker Mayfield is a professional athlete that needs a persistent, high-disciplined coach at all times,” King said. He explained that Mayfield plays his best football when he feels his back is against the wall and nobody believes in him.

When Mayfield feels that pressure, he becomes a really good player. But King noted that the dynamic changes once success arrives. “The minute that Baker has a little success – people started talking about how he was the leader in the clubhouse for MVP – then the reckless, careless Baker surfaces,” King explained.

The numbers back up King’s observation. After the Buccaneers beat the 49ers on October 12, Mayfield was at the top of the MVP race. At that point, Tampa Bay had a 5-1 record, and Mayfield had a passer rating of 108.5 with 12 touchdown passes against just one interception.

However, the rest of the season told a different story. The Buccaneers went 3-8 in their final 11 games. During that stretch, Mayfield’s passer rating dropped to 80.6. He threw 14 touchdowns but also 10 interceptions.

King pointed to a specific moment that signaled the shift. “I’ll never forget: There was this press conference and it was probably Week 5 or 6, and he was rolling,” King said. Mayfield commented on how he used to be called immature for celebrating in Cleveland, but now people called it “moxie.” King’s reaction was immediate: “Ohhhh, hell.” He added, “He’s been throwing picks ever since.”

Throughout his career, Mayfield has used doubt as fuel. King believes he needs to find a way to channel that same motivation even when things are going well. Some players simply perform better when they feel like the odds are stacked against them.

“At his best, I think he’s one of the top 10 quarterbacks in the National Football League,” King said. Mayfield played at that level for the previous two years. King believes he just got a little out of his zone during the 2025 season.

King: Todd Bowles deserved to keep job

While the Buccaneers struggled late in the season, head coach Todd Bowles faced criticism. Despite the late-season fade, King believes the team made the right decision by keeping Bowles as the head coach.

King noticed that Bowles rarely gets the credit he deserves. “He never gets any credit. Ever since he’s gotten the job, the narrative around him is: that’s not good enough,” King said. Since Bowles took over, this was the first year the team didn’t make the playoffs and the first year they didn’t win the division.

However, King points out that the team has still been successful. “It’s not like they haven’t been successful. But nothing he seems to be doing is enough,” King explained. He believes there will be a lot of pressure on Bowles in the upcoming year, but moving on from him would have been the wrong move.

King thinks the staff changes Bowles made during the offseason could help significantly. When Bowles first got the job, he kept many of Bruce Arians’ assistants. Now, it looks like there are some changes happening. This will be the first time Bowles gets to have his own group of guys in totality.

King also believes general manager Jason Licht needs to upgrade the defensive personnel. This would help maximize Bowles’ game-planning ability. “Schematically, I like him,” King said. “I just don’t think we have the personnel right now to do what he wants to do.”

King was critical of the secondary, calling it one of the most mediocre groups in the league. He was appalled by the breakdowns late in games, specifically when guys weren’t covering or contesting throws. “When you want to be aggressive, play man and disguise, your secondary has to be of high intelligence and high in talent. I don’t think he had that,” King stated.

Despite the concerns, King remains hopeful. “We’ll see if they get it fixed. I love Todd and I hope he gets it fixed. I hope it goes well this year, but it’s a lot of pressure,” he concluded.

King: Hard to find great OCs year after year

The Buccaneers are currently searching for a new offensive coordinator after firing Josh Grizzard. King wasn’t surprised by the team’s offensive struggles this season, especially considering the turnover at the position.

In the previous two years, the Buccaneers lost two successful offensive coordinators. Dave Canales and Liam Coen both left for head coaching positions. “Liam Coen and Dave Canales, they made great hires with those two guys,” King said. However, he believes it’s becoming difficult to get it right every single time.

King thinks the constant changes are taking a toll on Mayfield and the rest of the offensive players. “It’s tough on the quarterback, it’s tough on the coordinator, it’s tough on the receivers,” he explained. Just when the players get comfortable in the system and start figuring it out, they have to adjust to a new coach.

Even if the new offensive coordinator doesn’t completely change the system, there are always nuances. Each coach wants the offense to look a certain way. These adjustments can disrupt the rhythm and chemistry that the offense needs to succeed.