“1-Day Commercial in July Has Doomed Many a Season”: Bucs Insider Claps Back at Silly Baker Mayfield Criticism Over Popeyes Commercial

Baker Mayfield is one of many quarterbacks the Cleveland Browns have attempted to leave on the island of misfit toys. He was solid for his first three years, then struggled through the 2021 season due to a torn muscle in his shoulder. But then, the infamous Deshaun Watson trade went down, and Mayfield’s entire NFL career was thrown into jeopardy.

Lucky for him, he was able to land with the Buccaneers in 2023, becoming Tom Brady‘s successor in Tampa Bay. In two seasons there, he has completely rejuvenated himself, earning back-to-back Pro Bowl nods and leading the club to back-to-back division titles, even winning a playoff game in 2023. That gives him two for his career, the same amount as Dak Prescott.

Mayfield put up gaudy numbers last year with 4,500 yards and 41 touchdown passes, and he’s now being rewarded with new off-the-field opportunities. Buccaneers insider Greg Auman, who has been on the Bucs beat since 2013, revealed that Mayfield was recently shooting a Popeyes commercial at the team’s stadium.

“The big orange Bucs reveal you’ve been waiting for: Baker Mayfield has picked up a new endorsement deal. Filming a @Popeyes commercial at stadium,” Auman tweeted.

While most of the replies on Twitter were positive, jokey, or supportive, there was one that felt the need to create an issue where that wasn’t one. “Yikes, this is not good. He was doing this crap in Cleveland and not focusing on football,” they commented.

Thankfully, Auman had time today, replying with a tongue-in-cheek response: “Yeah, a one-day commercial in July has doomed many a season.” Not to mention the commercial was being filmed at the Buccaneers’ facility. Encouragingly, the angry fan got zero likes while Auman’s reply received over 70.

However, the fan wasn’t done, breaking out one of the most pompous new phrases we have added to the English lexicon over the last few years: “Happened to the Browns Greg. Facts don’t care about your feelings.” This time he got one like, but six replies.

The funniest of those chiding him was one that offered sarcastic sympathy for this sad pessimist: “If you seriously believe those commercials were why things in Cleveland weren’t doing good………you have my sympathies.”

Others said, “Browns aren’t exactly a great measuring stick lol,” “Re-read the 4th word. Take an advil and we’ll speak in the morning,” and “You don’t know what a fact is.”

Another correctly pointed out that the reason Mayfield didn’t work out for the Browns was largely due to the team getting in their own way. They had an encouraging young talent who had just won a playoff game in 2020. He was such a team player that he attempted to play through a torn labrum, which made his play look worse than it was. Then they signed that nasty guy Deshaun Watson, forcing Mayfield to demand a trade.

In the end, it was a blessing in disguise for Mayfield, who has had a lot more success away from Cleveland than the Browns have had since he left. This was also a rare example of positivity overcoming negativity on social media, so kudos to everyone involved in that interaction.