Baker Mayfield stands on the sideline in a Tampa Bay Buccaneers uniform throughout recreation motion towards the Minnesota Vikings, captured from NFL 2023 Week 1 highlights on 9/10/23 as Tampa Bay opened its season at U.S. Financial institution Stadium. The quarterback’s helmet and shoulder element stay centered within the body with the background softly blurred. Necessary Credit score: YouTube.
Baker Mayfield has been down this path — nearly precisely the identical one — so when he talked about Kyler Murray’s upcoming season final week, people listened.
The Minnesota Vikings signed Murray in March after the Arizona Cardinals gave up on him, and, in keeping with Mayfield, a former faculty teammate, it’s all going to work out in Minnesota.
Oklahoma Bond Provides Murray’s Vikings Reset Extra Weight
Former Oklahoma quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray pose collectively throughout halftime festivities on the Sooners’ spring recreation on Apr. 23, 2022, in Norman, Oklahoma, reconnecting on the program the place each turned Heisman Trophy winners and No. 1 general NFL Draft picks whereas followers crammed the stadium for Oklahoma’s alumni celebration. Necessary Credit score: Nathan J. Fish-The Oklahoman/USA TODAY NETWORK.
Mayfield on Murray
Mayfield delivered his Murray takes at youth soccer camp in Oklahoma over the weekend. “I’m happy for him, and I think it’s going to be great. Coming from someone who has been in a similar situation where you think you’re going to be somewhere forever and just needing a new change of scenery,” he stated.
“I think this fresh start for him is going to be amazing. Kyler gets a bad wrap. People want to put a certain persona on him. Luckily, we get him early in the season before he gets too hot.”
It’s mounting momentum from gamers and followers, who imagine the Murray experiment will flourish within the Twin Cities.
Of All Folks, Mayfield Would Know
There isn’t a higher supply for this assertion than Mayfield. Full cease.
Murray’s profession arc proper now completely resembles Mayfield’s — and would possibly even be ranging from a greater spot. In 2022, the Cleveland Browns tossed Mayfield within the rubbish, choosing Deshaun Watson, a choice that turned out to be a trainwreck.
Mayfield bounced round between the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams earlier than touchdown in Tampa Bay in 2023, when he took a number of months to reestablish himself as a High 15 (or so) quarterback. Mayfield is not a joke, and actually, has his eyes on a large contract extension.
Murray can observe this path and would possibly even skip the unsuccessful Panthers-Rams chapters that plagued Mayfield.
Teammates at Oklahoma
At Oklahoma, the dynamic between Mayfield and Kyler was a crucible, an “iron sharpening iron” situation that in the end yielded a Heisman Trophy.
Mayfield arrived because the undisputed coronary heart and soul of this system — loud, fearless, emotional, and supremely assured in his potential to win each Saturday. Murray, a former five-star switch, introduced unholy athletic expertise, baseball hype, and sufficient expertise to make any quarterback room uneasy.
For 2 seasons, Murray needed to patiently observe and fiercely compete behind one in all faculty soccer’s all-time nice quarterbacks. What may have simply turn out to be a unstable state of affairs as an alternative remodeled into an extremely intense studying expertise. Mayfield set the usual together with his preparation, his swagger, and his masterful execution of Lincoln Riley’s offense. Murray absorbed every thing, pushed Mayfield, and remained prepared.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield seems towards the sphere late in a divisional matchup towards the Atlanta Falcons on Dec. 11, 2025, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, throughout fourth-quarter motion because the veteran passer watched a key NFC South second unfold from the Buccaneers’ sideline beneath stadium lights. Necessary Credit score: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Photographs.
By 2017, it was clear that Oklahoma housed each its present star and its future one. Mayfield fully owned his second, and in doing so, taught Murray easy methods to personal the one that may come subsequent.
“The clause quickly became a national talking point. Fans mocked Murray, suggesting the Cardinals included it because they questioned his work ethic or believed he spent more time playing video games than preparing for football. Murray later called the criticism disrespectful during an impromptu press conference, and the Cardinals soon removed the clause.”
Vikings coaches and gamers have famous for 4 months that Murray doesn’t match an aloof or lazy persona.
Rashid continued, “Even so, the episode left a lasting mark on his public image. Now entering a new chapter with Minnesota, Murray will look to prove that the criticism does not define his career, something Mayfield clearly believes he can do.”
“However, the road will not be easy, as he enters training camp in a battle with J.J. McCarthy for the Vikings’ starting quarterback job.”
Lower than 11 Weeks till Showtime
The Vikings’ season will get underway in 76 days, internet hosting the Inexperienced Bay Packers on September thirteenth. Murray will instantly face his former head coach, Jonathan Gannon, who now runs the Packers’ protection.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray wears his helmet in the course of the opening day of organized crew actions on Could 26, 2026, on the crew’s apply facility in Eagan, Minnesota, participating in early set up work because the Vikings evaluated a reshaped quarterback room and started constructing timing with new teammates on the sphere collectively. Necessary Credit score: YouTube.
Murray, after all, nonetheless has to win the summer time quarterback competitors towards J.J. McCarthy, however per Mayfield’s evaluation, that can occur and should not even be tough.
Oddsmakers count on the Vikings to win eight or 9 video games in 2026, placing them in competition for a Wildcard postseason berth. Murray has the league’s third-best odds to win the Comeback Participant of the Yr award, trailing Patrick Mahomes and Jayden Daniels.
Murray will flip 29 in August.
Mayfield and Murray will conflict on September twenty seventh in Tampa Bay.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … Extra about Dustin Baker
