GENERAL MANAGER JASON LICHT & QUARTERBACK BAKER MAYFIELD

(Opening Statement)

Jason Licht: "Obviously, another big day for us here in the organization, but it's a huge day for Emily and Baker [Mayfield] and we're extremely excited for both parties for this thing. A year ago at the combine – starting around the combine – Todd [Bowles] was hitting me up with a text, a call, or a 'Come down to my office,' at least twice a day, asking me, 'When are we getting 'Bake?'" I said, 'Well, there are some rules here, but we'll do the best we can' [laughs]. He had a lot of confidence in him. He developed a relationship with him when he was with the [New York] Jets in the 2018 draft. We had Baker as our No. 1 quarterback in that draft on our rankings, so we had a lot of confidence in him – but nobody had more confidence than Baker. It was about a year ago today – I don't know if it's exactly to the day – when I called him to congratulate him. You could feel the confidence [and] that he was ready to come in here and take advantage of the situation. He had us circled as the best place to go and we had him circled as the best player to come and follow the legend, Tom Brady. Not many quarterbacks would have the confidence to do that, but Baker certainly did. We love his leadership – we love his ability on the field – but his leadership, his ability to rally the team, the city, the fanbase has been surreal."

(Opening Statement)

Baker Mayfield: "I appreciate it. I've obviously got to thank the Glazer family and all the front office guys, my agent, everybody that worked on this to get this done. As Jason [Licht] mentioned last year and truly the last few years of my career, a lot of ups and downs. To be able to have Emily [Mayfield] by my side the whole time and see it through, and have the opportunity to come here [to] a place that knows how to win from the top down – they do it well, from the people that I've talked to before even getting here. None of those words were a lie. Obviously, I knew Coach [Todd] Bowles coming into it, I got to know Jason pretty quickly, and just knowing the staff and the key pieces that they had here were obviously a good look to try and sign here and know I have a chance to play and prove myself. And, just the opportunity – God had a plan for me and I saw it through. And the group we had, as well, made it so special last year – made it a big reason why I wanted to come back here, knowing that we have a lot of the same staff coming back, key pieces… We were close. We made a good run there at the end, but I don't think any of our guys were satisfied. It was the group that stuck together through all of the highs and lows that made it so special for us. I'm looking forward to being able to push for a deeper playoff run. Obviously, if it's not a Super Bowl, only one team is happy in the end. That's the goal here – to try and win a couple. I'm very thankful for this opportunity. We call Tampa home now and [we're] obviously welcoming another key piece to our family, adding a little girl into the family here soon. [There are] a lot of exciting things for us and we're really, really blessed and can't say enough."

(On what the moment was like for QB Baker Mayfield and his wife when he decided to stay in Tampa Bay)

BM: "[It was] a weight lifted off our shoulders from the traveling journey we've been on the last couple of years. For us, knowing how much we truly loved being here, and throughout the whole process, we thought we were going to call this place home in the offseason regardless – that's how much we fell in love with the community, the city overall [and] have truly enjoyed living here. So, a weight lifted off our shoulders, but just knowing that we can settle in and truly make a difference, whether it's with the organization and throughout the community, that we can truly be rooted and kind of have a 'boots on the ground' mentality to make a difference and see that through. It's a special feeling."

(On if Mayfield left any money on the table to stay with the Buccaneers)

BM: "For me, I said it immediately after our Detroit game, following the loss: to build a winning team and to have a lot of the key pieces that we needed back to continue this run and improve it, some sacrifices have to be made. Now, listen, this is life-changing money and I'm not going to act otherwise. It's something that I've worked extremely  hard for over the years and many years of football. I'm grateful for it. There's nothing to be ashamed about. There's nothing to say, 'Oh, well he got more.' It's not that mentality. Knowing that we have a chance to bring back some key pieces and make a further run in the playoffs, that's important to me. I'm a winner at heart, I hate losing, so knowing that we get a lot of guys back and we can continue to build this for years to come is a special thing."

JL: "No state taxes. I use that one a lot [laughs]."

BM: "That's a good point [laughs]."

(On what part of the 2023 season was most difficult for him and what enabled the team to finish strong)

BM: "For me, the transition coming into this team and the organization. They had all the key pieces and Coach [Todd] Bowles told me from the very beginning [to] just be myself – be passionate, be the fiery leader he knew from the college days. Just knowing that that was kind of my role within the organization, just to keep pushing guys, see it through. We're never out of the fight, [so] to have that mentality, even during that mid-season lull that we had. It wasn't fun – losing isn't fun. But, leaning on the veterans – the guys that had been here for years and had won a lot of ballgames, had  been to the Super Bowl and won it – leaning on those guys and just trying to show the younger guys the way and trusting that process. We weren't trying to reinvent the wheel, but saying, 'Guys, we're good enough. If we just do the little things right and we go from there, we can control our own destiny at that point.'"

(On if he called LT Tristan Wirfs after the deal got done and if he knew that WR Mike Evans was going to be back)

BM: "I truly didn't know Mike was going to be back until he signed. I was actually out of town and Mike called me and he said, 'Are we doing this, or what?' That was a couple days before they announced that he was signing back. Obviously, he's a big part of that. In terms of Tristan, we were sitting at lunch when I got the call, so I was there with Emily [Mayfield] and his girlfriend, Meredith. They're one week apart, due-date wise. 'The Big Dawg' is back in the corner there – he's one of my best friends now – knowing that we have that relationship. Obviously, Luke [Goedeke] is in here, as well. But, how close I became with these guys, it became a huge factor in the decision – knowing that I'm going to fight for them and they're going to fight for me. That's a big thing for us. It's a great group."

(On what allowed him to have a career year last season and how he can take his game to new heights this upcoming season)

BM: "From the very beginning, the organization made me comfortable in saying, 'Be the best version of yourself.' As a quarterback, somebody that you always have eyes on you, there's no other words that can make you feel more welcomed than that. For me, just trying to do the little things right. Once the play is there, then you can really let the energy, the character, and all of that rub off on everybody else. For me, just knowing that if you play good ball and you trust the guys around you, good things will happen. [Looking] back on this process, looking at system-wise, that was a big reason why I had a lot of success. I think it does do a really good job of showing my skills and some of my traits. Obviously, being able to work with Liam [Coen] in the past – obviously, it was a short stint, but knowing that we have a good relationship and knowing how he's going to push me and push everybody else to get on the same page. Obviously Thad is in here – Thad Lewis, our QB coach, as well – knowing that we have that room that we're bringing back and we can really control this thing and control the ship."

(On what he learned about himself last season)

BM: "My journey has not been the one that I exactly envisioned – a lot of ups and downs – but just trusting it. Adversity and how you handle it is really a true test of character. For me, trying to relate it to some of the things I did – from high school [and] having to walk on, to college [and] having to battle for a job, losing a job in Cleveland, going to Carolina, having to move to L.A. [With] all of those things, you realize mental toughness can take you a long way. Trusting in yourself and believing in yourself and having that confidence and trusting in God that you have everything you're capable of and you have it all right there available for you, so just go do that and be the best version of yourself. For me, this was a good place that has already shown me that I can do that."

(On how much he's looking forward to having continuity moving forward)

BM: "That's a huge factor. To know the things that we did well last year and the things that we want to improve on, you know the starting point. I think the tricky part is you have to go back to the basics, you have to start from day one. If you act like you have it figured out from the beginning, you're doing it wrong. You have to start back from scratch, but at the same time, we know the pieces, we know the things we're really good at on offense, knowing that it's a similar system. For us, being able to grow in that and continue to push each other, how we operate week to week during the offseason as well as in season. It's a huge thing to have the routines with your guys and know that if there's something I need from that room, everybody in there is willing to do it. And likewise, when you know the people that you're working with, you can fight for them even harder, just knowing who they are as people."

(On how he finds the same drive and motivation now that he has a long-term contract and stability)

BM: "The expectation on the outside, if you pay attention to that, you're not doing it right. Just knowing the people that we have in this building, we set our own standard – we know what our own expectation is. We know the pieces that we have. We're capable of winning a Super Bowl. You set that standard and you don't let anybody dip below that line. For us, we have a lot of the same guys coming back. We were there. Once you get a taste of losing in the playoffs, it makes you driven even more. For us, knowing that we were a little bit short in the playoffs and just to continue to push… There [were] a lot of lessons we learned last year as a team, as well. Starting out 3-1 and going to 4-7 and having to win five-out-of-six of the last ones to get into the playoffs, we were battle tested. Knowing that we can control that – there's things that can go your way, but as long as you stay the course, good things will happen."

(On how much Mayfield's toughness means to the organization and Licht as a talent evaluator)

JL: "Well, it means everything. He sets the tone for this team with his… well, for lack of a better word – on a [scale] of one [to] 10, he's a 10 on the [prickly] scale. Sorry, (Tampa Bay Buccaneers Chief Communications Officer) Nelson [Luis]. That's what you want in your offensive linemen. Baker is kind of an offensive lineman in a quarterback's body. It's what has rallied this team this year. He's a big part of it."

(On the fans and the Tampa Bay community and how it has made the city home for Mayfield)

BM: "It's a special place. I came into this place not really knowing what the community was like. [I was] hearing it's a hockey town, even though they were coming off of a Super Bowl. Just seeing the passionate fans – the ones that talk about going to the 'Old Sombrero,' the ones that have been fans for a long time and have stuck it out through the thick and thin – that's what makes it special, the people that are traditional fans. Obviously, we always welcome new ones, but the ones that have been here for the long haul make it really special. For Emily and I, we started our foundation last year and just being able to [have] a 'boots on the ground' mentality and make a difference in the community – for us, this is a great opportunity to do that. I knew nothing about it, but it's a laid-back city. People are really, really passionate about their sports and it gives us an opportunity to really make a difference in the long run."

(On putting into perspective what it has meant to Mayfield to bounce around from team to team and then come to Tampa, win a starting quarterback job, win a playoff game, secure his financial future and become an example of persistence)

BM: "It's all about opportunities. For me, I looked at this as an opportunity to come to a place that's really stable [and] that was going to give me an opportunity, like I keep mentioning, to be the best version of myself. That means a lot. It's a tricky business. There [are] injuries and there [are] a lot of things that can happen to you in your career – self-inflicted ones, too, and I've gone through both of those. For me, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Not to say that I'm satisfied by any means but you can push through these challenges and the ups and downs that you go through. The mentality that I came in here with was [that] as long as I can say I was the best teammate possible to these guys and the best leader possible to these guys and that I did everything that I could to work extremely hard to control that, then I was going to hang my head high. We did that. We stuck together. And so that was a big reason why [I returned]. I had fun playing football again and that's a huge factor in me playing better."

(On Licht mentioning he would have an offseason 'boat parade' if he re-signed a key list of returning free agents)

JL: "I think if you go back to my quote, we need to get Antoine [Winfield Jr.] secured long term and do a deal with Tristan [Wirfs]. After that, we will have the boat parade [laughs]."

(On Mayfield having visions of winning a championship in Tampa Bay)

BM: "Yeah, obviously as a football player, you want to win a Super Bowl. That's the ultimate goal. Everybody sets out to do that in the beginning of the new league year and you see what kind of pieces you can put together. But being in an organization that has tasted it before is extremely important because they've done it, especially [recently]. That makes a big difference that they know the process and the ups and downs. They know they're going to put us in the best position possible to win because they've done it before. That's a huge factor in why coming back here meant a lot. You set your goals extremely high. We're at the highest level of football and competition that we can be in and that's a big factor in it."

(On what it has meant to Mayfield to have his wife Emily beside him throughout his journey and to now reach this position in his career)

BM: "There were a lot of dark times that we went through together and to have the support, I think it's extremely important to have somebody that you can lean on at all times. Not that I was very good at leaning on her at all times – I carry a lot of that weight on myself, but she has always been the support piece and has always believed in me. She's just been consistent. When I show up at home good days or bad days, she's even-keeled, even when I might need a foot right up my rear end to get going. It's unbelievable to have that support piece, and to be able to see it now that we're going to be here calling this home for the next few years and we've got [baby] No. 1 on the way, it's a special time and a really exciting time in our lives. I think we're both motivated to make the most of this opportunity because we've seen the darker times."

(On if it is a challenge or an advantage for Licht to have a list of his own players to try and get back in free agency)

JL: "It's a definite advantage. I was trying to explain this to my own family, the kids, the other day – we are a different team and in this free agency we signed Mike Evans, Baker, Antoine [Winfield Jr.] and it goes on and on and on. That's why I came up with the boat parade – we would be celebrating and having a parade over this. This is one of the greatest free agency hauls ever, but it's our own guys. We've got some Hall of Famers in here – Lavonte [David and] Mike. It's been incredible. I think it's time that the national media realizes that we have some great players. They already know, but now they really know. It's a great time for us."

(On how Mayfield woke up feeling today)

BM: "Pretty normal. It was cardio day."

(On what is next for Mayfield in 2024 and beyond and where he can improve his game)

BM: "As a quarterback, I think you always look to improve in control of the system, the knowledge of it, having answers when you're at the line of scrimmage, getting everybody on the same page even more so. We did a lot of that last year, but truly making a really big difference of teaching the game to some of our young guys to know in certain situations that, 'This is what we're going to be doing. This is what I might be checking to.' You always look to have answers in the back pocket because you never want to be handcuffed at the line of scrimmage. I think we've put together a really good staff to be able to do that, with opportunities to use our veteran guys that know football really well, but also teach the younger guys. That's a big difference when you can develop those guys in house and continue to let them grow."

(On if Mayfield and his family will be moving into Raymond James Stadium now with the baby on the way)

BM: "We won't be moving into the stadium. There are too many people around it. I'm more of a home body now."

(On the hat Mayfield wore for the press conference)

BM: "The significance of the hat – there's obviously a great group that has invested in it and started it, considering the guy to my left is one of them (Licht). I'm a hat guy. I'll be honest, I'm pretty lazy in the morning. I don't get up and do my hair, so it's easy to throw a hat on. I have way too many hats. It's a discussion for Emily – it's a long answer, but I enjoy the hats and I enjoy supporting good people."

-BUCCANEERS-