When you dedicate your entire life to making it as a football player, being called a “tough guy” feels like the bare minimum. But then, a 7-pound baby comes along and instantly shatters that hardened, fearless persona. Don’t believe us? Well, that’s exactly what happened to Baker Mayfield.
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The Bucs quarterback and his wife, Emily, welcomed their daughter, Kova, on April 9th last year—an event that Baker believes changed his life in ways he never imagined. The couple shared their joy with fans at the time, with Emily taking to Instagram to announce, “She is truly everything we prayed for, and more… Daddy is so smitten.”
And as it turns out, “smitten” is an understatement. The fiery quarterback, known for his grit and competitive edge, has already found a softer, more vulnerable side of himself through fatherhood — a side he had long kept buried.
In an episode of Sports Spectrum, the 2017 Heisman winner reflected on his journey, sharing that he always had a sensitive side, despite his outward bravado. Growing up, Baker was extremely close to his mother, which helped him develop emotional depth.
But the moment the football bug bit him, Baker couldn’t resist surrendering to a culture that demanded he embrace the macho persona, by all accounts.
“I’ve always had a softer, more sensitive side,” Baker admitted on Sports Spectrum. “I was really close to my mom growing up. But, you know, when you get into football culture, you’re trying to be the tough guy. You try to bury that part of yourself down. It’s just the man’s ego.”
This male ego went for a toss when Baker saw his daughter, Kova Jade, for the first time. “As soon as I saw her, I was like, ‘Oh, she’s got me wrapped around her finger.'”
Kova’s birth taught Baker what fatherhood really means. The first noticeable change was his gentle nature taking center stage, unlike his usual demeanor in the NFL, where he terrorizes defenders for fun. “The protective instincts come out, and you realize what your priorities really are,” said the QB.
Another realization that came with Kova’s birth was the ability to associate a human figure with the term — “pure love”.
“I mean, I think when you’re trying to have kids, or your significant other is pregnant, everybody’s like, ‘Just wait until you see that child for the first time.’ You hear it so many times, and you think, ‘Yeah, I get it.’ But then the first time I saw her, I was like—okay, now I understand it. This is what that pure love is. It just turned our world upside down. It’s so special.”
Mayfield’s football journey has been filled with ups and downs — a college prodigy, first-overall draft pick, underdog stories, and career comebacks. But nothing, not even a game-winning drive, could prepare him for the emotions of fatherhood.
Despite the transformative challenge, Mayfield has actually done a great job. After their daughter’s birth, his wife, Emily, proudly revealed how “Bake was born to be a dad”.
This was most recently evident when Emily posted a heartwarming carousel of photos on Instagram, showing Baker holding Kova in adorable poses. Reacting to the sight, Emily could only feel gratitude.
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While the NFL deserves credit for shaping Baker Mayfield into the competitor he is today, Kova Jade has done something even greater—she’s taught him the strength in being vulnerable.
