Panthers news: Frankie Luvu, Jaycee Horn, Baker Mayfield and 2015 memories
By Dean Jones
Baker Mayfield slams Carolina Panthers distractions
Baker Mayfield didn't win NFL Comeback Player of the Year, but he can be enormously proud of his career renaissance in 2023. The former Carolina Panthers quarterback dug deep in the face of significant adversity. He looks set to be rewarded with a new deal from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a result.
Of course, new Panthers head coach Dave Canales had a huge hand in Mayfield's improved production. The former No. 1 overall selection is looking forward to a brighter future. He also outlined what went wrong during his failed stint in Carolina during his media engagements on Radio Row in Las Vegas ahead of the Super Bowl.
Mayfield took a swipe at the Panthers' football operation via Last Word on Sports. Specifically, the distractions most players had to deal with behind the scenes thanks to meddling from Carolina's front office and their erratic owner David Tepper.
"I mean, it starts top-down. How they run the organization and everybody being on the same page and just, how do you win games? When you have a lot of voices going on behind the scenes, you’re making distractions for your players. You’re not putting them in a good position to have success and play free. So for me, getting to Tampa – it was refreshing."
- Baker Mayfield via LWOS
This seems to be the common consensus behind the Panthers' struggles in recent years. Tepper has declared a willingness to stay in the background and let the new power trio of Canales, Dan Morgan, and Brandt Tilis run things. That would be a huge step in the right direction, even if the declaration was met with skepticism from fans.