New Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Zac Robinson first got the chance to work with quarterback Baker Mayfield after Mayfield was traded to the Los Angeles Rams following a disappointing stint with the Carolina Panthers.
Robinson was serving as the Rams’ pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and it was then that Mayfield garnered his respect.
“It was like at 10 o’clock at night [when Mayfield got the plays] and he came in the next day and I saw his notebook – we had a bathroom break, [so] I saw his notebook – he had highlighters everywhere, color-coded,” Robinson said, per the Buccaneers’ official website.
“Right away, I was like, ‘Okay, I know the player, I know the talent, but he’s made of all the right stuff.’ Obviously, that time that we spent together was invaluable during a tough season…he came in and ignited that group. I’m fired up to work with Bake and the rest of the guys. It’s a good group of dudes and I’m looking forward to it, for sure.”
It didn’t take Robinson long to realize Mayfield had the necessary mindset.
“I knew Baker had been through adversity – he had had great success in Cleveland and then obviously went to Carolina,” said Robinson. “He came in right away and was meeting guys for the first time in the huddle on Wednesday’s practice and you could just see everybody gravitates towards Baker. That’s what you’re looking for from that position. You want that true igniter, you want that guy that elevates the rest of the group.
“When you have a guy like that, you have a chance to win every single Sunday. The impact that he has, obviously just as a leader – you can speak to the talent and the type of player he is and all those things, but those guys that give you a chance every single Sunday – and the guys in that locker room know it – it’s a big deal.”
Now, Robinson will have all of Mayfield’s tools at his disposal once again.
“Baker was the number-one pick in the draft for a reason,” he said. “In terms of the arm, there’s not a part of the field that he can’t attack. You start there and then you get to the instincts and the feel for the game. You mentioned it, the movement part is huge. You have to be able to move at this day and age in the NFL as you guys know. His ability to throw on the run – he’s probably the best in the league at throwing on the run. He’s great in the keeper game, great in the boot game. [I am] looking to evolve that part and making sure that we’re playing to Baker’s strengths and the rest of the guys’ strengths. That’s a huge part. The third-down conversions, those are tough downs, and when you have a quarterback that can obviously extend those plays and pick up first downs with his legs, that’s huge.”
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.