NFL Hall of Famer Calls Out Baker Mayfield for Recent Comments

Despite the fact that the playoffs and current hiring cycle have dominated the NFL’s media landscape of late, and even though his season ended weeks ago, Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield still found himself in the headlines earlier this week.

It all started when the Atlanta Falcons hired Kevin Stefanski, Mayfield’s former coach with the Browns, to lead their team back to relevance in the NFC South. Mayfield stayed in the shadows initially, but when a Falcons beat reporter took a shot at Mayfield while sharing an article about Stefanski, Mayfield couldn’t hold back.

Instead of taking a shot at the beat reporter, though, Mayfield directed his frustration directly at his former coach with a rare post on X.

Failed is quite the reach pal. Still waiting on a text/call from him after I got shipped off like a piece of garbage. Can’t wait to see you twice a year, Coach. https://t.co/jUUsYkvlOC
— Baker Mayfield (@bakermayfield) January 20, 2026

Mayfield’s response garnered a lot of traction online and resulted in many Cleveland Browns fans supporting Baker for how things transpired at the end of his tenure in Cleveland.

Hall of Famer Calls Out Baker Mayfield

At least one person saw it differently, though. And that one person just so happens to be Mr. Cleveland himself, former Cleveland Browns OT and current Hall of Famer Joe Thomas.

Thomas took exception to Baker’s remarks about Stefanski and suggested that Mayfield is equally to blame for the lack of communication between the two following Mayfield’s bitter departure from the organization.

“I could be wrong… but i’ve heard that communication is a 2-way street and there were no laws against you (Baker) sending Stefanski a text or calling him after you got traded,” he wrote.

I could be wrong...but I've heard that communication is a 2-way street and there were no laws against you (Baker) sending Stefanski a text or calling him after you got traded🧐 https://t.co/y7hI6zptax
— Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) January 21, 2026

Joe Thomas is Wrong

The reality, however, is that no player in any sport who is traded from one team to another without decent (or in this case, any) communication from the team during the process should ever feel obligated to go out of his way to communicate with his former coach.

That responsibility falls squarely on the team, coach and GM that just moved on from the player, which in this case, was the Browns and Stefanski, who opted to replace Mayfield with Deshaun Watson.

Whether you agree or not with Mayfield’s decision to criticize his former head coach publicly is one thing, but for Thomas to suggest that Mayfield is equally to blame for the lack of communication with his former head coach following that trade is not only peculiar but, quite frankly, preposterous.

Thomas has the right to criticize Mayfield for airing his grievances publicly, sure. But he doesn’t have the right to suggest Mayfield is in any way at fault for the lack of communication that took place between him and his former coach following his abrupt and unexpected departure from the Browns.

Stick with BucsGameday for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the 2025 season.

Follow BucsGameday on Twitter and Facebook

More Tampa Bay Buccaneers News

• Former Bucs OC Josh Grizzard to interview with Super Bowl champion NFC team

• Buccaneers' Tristan Wirfs, Saints' Cam Jordan trade blows over podcast comments

• Falcons find new head coach that should make Bucs fans nervous

• Liam Coen still has big praise for Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield