Bucs GM Texted Baker Mayfield 'You're a Motherf--ker. Congratulations' After Contract

Even the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' general manager had to applaud quarterback Baker Mayfield for earning himself a nice payday this offseason.

Jason Licht told The Athletic's Jeff Howe he sent a short message to Mayfield after the Buccaneers agreed to a three-year, $100 million contract: "Hey listen, you're a motherf--ker. Congratulations.

Looking back, it's even harder to believe Tampa Bay tried to pretend there was a QB battle between Mayfield and Kyle Trask heading into the 2023 season. But that's how far the 2017 Heisman Trophy winner's stock had fallen.

Mayfield had to settle on a one-year deal with the Bucs last spring after he had been previously discarded by the Cleveland Browns and then the Carolina Panthers. He told Howe he "was written off to be a perennial backup" once the Los Angeles Rams claimed him off waivers midway through the 2022 campaign.

The 29-year-old's new nine-figure contract is a sign of how well he performed in Tampa Bay and reshaped his general narrative.

In 17 starts, he threw for 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns to 10 interceptions. For Licht, Mayfield's contributions went well beyond the box score.

"The team rallies around him and plays with his personality, which is blue-collar, tough, resilient," Licht said to Howe. "He's one of the best leaders I've ever been around. Those guys gravitate to him. … He knows how to treat his receivers. He knows how to talk. He knows he's got to back up his talk. He holds himself very accountable. He does all these things naturally. It's not an act."

The Bucs don't believe Mayfield's resurgence was an outlier. Howe reported they "have unanimously agreed this team has already forged an even stronger bond than the 2023 version, and they've given Mayfield the strongest share of the credit."

The 2023 Pro Bowler has certainly found his comfort zone in Tampa.