Baker Mayfield responded to the Lions' bulletin-board material by roasting C.J. Gardner-Johnson's film prep
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers certainly benefited this season from a weak NFC South division, but Baker Mayfield was more than capable at quarterback during the Bucs’ 5-1 finish to the year. When you add a playoff win into that equation, Mayfield’s play probably deserved some respect.
He just didn’t get that from the Lions’ C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
Ahead of Sunday’s NFC divisional round matchup between the Bucs and Lions, Gardner-Johnson took a shot at Mayfield in his comments to reporters. He said of the Bucs offense and downplayed Mayfield, via The Detroit Free Press:
“If you give that Tampa group a good quarterback, that’s a great group. Evans, Godwin, (Russell) Gage, that’s a great group. I played against them for real.”
But in doing so, Gardner-Johnson kind of told on himself in terms of his actual familiarity with the Bucs offense. And on Wednesday, Mayfield had no issue pointing that out.
Full quote from Baker Mayfield on Gardner Johnson’s comments that the #Bucs would be a good group with good QB.
“I mean, I don't think he's really watched film because he mentioned Russell Gage. You know, we love Russell, but he hasn’t played a snap this year for us. He must be… pic.twitter.com/MYh9SUSaZH
— JC Allen (@JCAllenNFL) January 17, 2024
Mayfield said that he didn’t really think Gardner-Johnson had been watching film on the Bucs because he would have known that Russell Gage didn’t play a snap this season if he had.
Fans also had thoughts on the game-week media exchange between the two players.