Zac Robinson recalls Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield's intense preparation, highlighting the quarterback's dedication and skill even after an emergency signing with the Rams.
Whether it's the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or any other team, if the offensive coordinator and quarterback don't get along, things just aren't going to work out.
When the Buccaneers decided to hire Zach Robinson, who had previously been with the Atlanta Falcons, to succeed Josh Grizzard, they did so knowing that Robinson had a good relationship with quarterback Baker Mayfield.
The two worked together with the Los Angeles Rams in 2022, when Robinson was the quarterbacks coach and Mayfield came in at quarterback as an emergency signing.
With injuries to starter Matthew Stafford and backup John Wolford, the defending Super Bowl champs needed help, and this is where Mayfield and Robinson's relationship began.
During Robinson's introductory press conference Tuesday, he remembered how they started working together.
First, Robinson noted that Mayfield, who won a Heisman Trophy at Oklahoma, had great success against Robinson's alma mater, Oklahoma State.
In Mayfield's last game against the Cowboys, he torced Oklahoma State for -- you are not about to misread this -- 598 passing yards and five touchdowns in a 62-52 win.
Five years later, with Mayfield having been run out of Cleveland and released mid-season by the Carolina Panthers, the Rams needed him.
"I’ll never forget -- we gave him a handful of plays," Robinson said.
Robinson remembered that the Rams gave Mayfield 20-25 plays at 10 at night the week of a Thursday night game (Mayfield had been signed on a Tuesday).
The next day, Robinson remembers Mayfield coming in with his notebook all highlighted and color-coded.
"I thought right away, ‘I know the player, I know the talent, but he’s made of all the right stuff,'" Robinson said.
The Rams had a rough season in 2022, finishing 5-12 the year after winning the Super Bowl.
But Mayfield was responsible for some of the bright spots that season, such as that Thursday night debut, when he led the Rams to a 17-16 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, and a 51-14 rout of the Denver Broncos on Christmas Day, when Mayfield went 24-for-28 passing for 230 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Now Robinson and Mayfield will be reuniting in Tampa Bay, where Robinson will be Tampa's fourth consecutive OC and the ninth coordinator Mayfield has had since becoming an NFL quarterback nine seasons ago.
Robinson can't wait.
"I’m fired up to work with ‘Bake’ and the rest of the guys," he said, "it’s a good group of dudes, and I’m looking forward to it for sure.”
ㅤ
Join the Community! Don't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news! It's completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!