The Tampa Bay Buccaneers enter Week 8 looking to bounce back from a Monday Night Football loss to the Detroit Lions.
Tampa Bay holds a 5-2 record heading into their matchup against the struggling New Orleans Saints, who sit at 1-6 under offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.
The division rivalry carries added intensity this week, with quarterback Baker Mayfield making his feelings about the Saints abundantly clear.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Mayfield didn’t mince words about his view of New Orleans and the physicality that defines their meetings.
“It hasn’t exactly been clean play from their part when we play them. It’s a physical game. It is what it is. You expect it, division rival. Yeah, not much else to say besides the fact that I don’t like them,” Mayfield told reporters, per Rick Stroud.
Baker Mayfield said he hated the Saints. He didn’t back off. He said today they play was “not clean.” pic.twitter.com/H2c4zozTIs
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) October 22, 2025
His comments stem from multiple incidents during his tenure with Tampa Bay.
WTSP’s Evan Closky shared video footage on X showing two late hits Mayfield absorbed against New Orleans in his first season with the Buccaneers, both resulting in injuries.
Those moments provide context for the quarterback’s current stance and explain why the rivalry feels particularly personal for him.
Mayfield now has an opportunity to channel that frustration into performance on Sunday.
He’s historically played his best football with motivation fueling him, and this matchup presents the perfect stage.
His outing against Detroit left much to be desired, as he missed several open receivers and appeared unsettled throughout the contest.
That performance marked a significant departure from the MVP-caliber play he showed earlier in the season.
Facing a Saints team with just one win could help Mayfield rediscover his rhythm before Tampa Bay’s bye week.
Sunday offers Mayfield a chance to make a statement against a team he clearly doesn’t respect.
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