Baker Mayfield discusses his reaction to Sam Darnold reaching out after his trade
Baker Mayfield might find himself in a competition with Sam Darnold on the field, but the two have been friends off it even before they became Panthers teammates. So when Mayfield received a text from Darnold shortly after he was traded to Carolina, it came as no surprise.
In a press conference Tuesday, Mayfield opened up about that message and his relationship with Darnold as a whole. He also said he believes there is a lot the two can learn from working with each other.
“Sam and I have known each other for a few years now,” Mayfield said. “Great guy. He just welcomed me in and had tips on where to start looking for houses and all that. Sam’s a great guy and I’m looking forward to being in that locker room and quarterback room with him and competing and challenging each other. It’s gonna be special. I think we’re gonna help each other out quite a bit. So I’m not shocked at all (that he reached out). That’s just who he is. You can write whatever story you want about him, but he’s a good guy who wants to help his team win and loves football.”
Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold were the No. 1 and No. 3 picks, respectively, in the 2018 NFL Draft. Now both find themselves on different teams than the one that drafted them and fighting for playing time in the final year of their rookie deals. Darnold was traded to Carolina from the Jets last season and ended up starting 11 games. His results left much to be desired, however, after throwing for just nine touchdowns to 13 interceptions.
Mayfield, on the other hand, spent the first four years of his pro career in Cleveland with the Browns. He had many ups and downs throughout that time, and ultimately the two parties decided it was best to move on this offseason. The franchise often questioned Mayfield’s maturity and felt he was more of a distraction to their locker room than a leader.
Only time will tell how true that was, as the quarterback now has a new set of teammates and coaches to work on developing chemistry with. But first he’ll have to beat out Darnold for the starting job. Carolina is set to open the season at home on Sept. 11 against Mayfield’s former team.