Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold share a common trait. Both were failed by the Carolina Panthers' previous regimes and came out on the other end smiling.
Mayfield and Darnold will lock horns this weekend when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers take on the Seattle Seahawks. The two clubs and their quarterbacks are in outstanding form at the moment. As for the Panthers? They are in the midst of a mini-crisis that could develop into another lost season if head coach Dave Canales' squad cannot turn things around.
That's of no consequence to Mayfield and Darnold. They were just two names in a long line of players the Panthers never built around effectively enough on their descent to rock bottom. And when the two signal-callers meet up in Week 5, the not-so-good old days in Carolina won't be dwelt on too much.
Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold remain close, but the Carolina Panthers aren't responsible
The long pause before Mayfield answered about his time in Carolina with Darnold spoke volumes. He enjoyed the bond he formed with his ex-teammate, and third-stringer P.J. Walker, but that's about it.
"Uh, reminisce about what days? Uh … nope. No, we don't. Sam and I are really close. I'm happy for him -- from going a couple different places that weren't great for us to having a good opportunity elsewhere, it's fun to see. I knew he just needed that chance, and he's thriving now. It's good to see, but hopefully not this weekend. That whole QB room with PJ Walker, Sam and I -- it was fun. [We were] guys that have played ball, knew we needed each other in that room … We'd just bounce things off [each other], have normal football conversations, grow and learn together and go from there."Baker Mayfield via ESPN
This is the second time in as many weeks that Mayfield has taken a not-so-subtle jab at the Panthers. Last time out, it centered on his relationship (or lack thereof) with Steve Wilks, who was the interim coach when the former Oklahoma standout was released. There remains some bitterness, but he's probably just finding extra ways to motivate himself.
Either way, it's about time that the Panthers stopped being the butt of everyone's joke. They've been a laughingstock around the league for too long. It seemed like Canales and general manager Dan Morgan were bringing more respect to the franchise. But if they end up losing in Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins, they'll be back to square one.
Time will tell on that. However, for Mayfield and Darnold, leaving the Panthers provided the spark that reignited their respective careers.