The Pro Bowl quarterback, Baker Mayfield, was with the Los Angeles Rams in 2022 and during his time, Liam Coen was the offensive coordinator of the squad. The multiple award winning quarterback in 2023 joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a move that would be massively successful for the Bucs squad in the future.
Mayfield led the Buccaneers to help win the NFC South Title and the squad had their first season without the seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback, Tom Brady. Coen was hired by the Buccaneers as their offensive coordinator and now both he and Mayfield are spearheading their season under the same squad.
During the press conference, Coen expressed that, considering the two-time Burlsworth Trophy winning quarterback as per NFL Network, “There’s not many days I don’t think Baker wakes up and he doesn’t have a chip on his left shoulder, but there is definitely a feeling that this is his team, and it’s OK to fail. It’s OK. Go out there, and let it rip, and be yourself every single day no matter what because you’re gonna be the guy and we believe in you.”
He further continued, “That’s something that ultimately he just hasn’t really had the opportunity to have all that often in his career. You definitely feel a quiet, calming confidence, but he’s still the same guy. He’s out there when we get on the grass, talking smack, getting after it and just having fun with the guys. I think that’s what ultimately makes him a great leader – it’s because he’s best friends with the O-line.”
Coen also mentioned, regarding the quarterback who will be leading the Buccaneers 2024 campaign and considering his outlook during the offseason programs, “Just a calm confidence, I think. The atmosphere that we want to establish in the meeting room is one of the players being the drivers of it. Yes, we are installing and teaching a new offense, but he knows a lot of these things already. He’s heard them. He’s repped them. He’s just taking it over, and he has done a great job in the meeting room setting, talking to some of the guys. … That’s what we’re trying to establish. The confidence of throwing the football has been impressive thus far. We haven’t had a ton of balls hit the ground, and he’s throwing it with a lot of confidence right now.”
Mayfield, who has taken the reins of the squad impressively, also signed a new contract with the Buccaneers. His contract is for three years worth up to $100 million. In 2023, Mayfield threw for 4,044 yards while posting 28 touchdowns and ten interceptions.
