One of the defining moments of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Week 6 win over the San Francisco 49ers cam in the third quarter. With the game still close, and the Bucs on the verge of coughing up momentum, Baker Mayfield ripped off one of his signature Angry runs for a first down.
Tampa Bay would go on to win the game, but even as MVP chants rained down on him in the 30-19 victory, Baker made sure to remind everyone that there's a goal bigger than simply winning one game at hand.
While speaking with the media after the win, he basically hit the Kobe Bryant job's not finished line to remind everyone that there's still a lot of season left to be played.
"It's Week 6. We've got a big one next week," Baker said, stone faced. "It's awesome to [hear MVP chants] don't get me wrong, but we're just getting started."
Prior to that remark, Baker was asked about his emphatic Angry Run in the third quarter and used the opportunity to praise his teammates rather than talk about himself.
"I truly, genuinely trust the guys that are in there," Baker said. "I trust these guys, even though some of them might not have played a whole lot of ball but if we're on the same page good things happen. You don't have to have the perfect play when all your guys are fighting for each other and on the same page."
This is why Baker is the MVP, and it's another notch in the belt of his MVP candidacy. Earlier in his career there might have been a more braggadocios reaction to such a big win, but this version of Baker is leading in ways that make the Bucs lucky to have him in the locker room.
He's not wrong, which is the point. The Bucs have done a lot but haven't accomplished enough. Nobody hands out Super Bowls or MVPs after Week 6 and we've seen things go awry in the past around this time of year. Lest we forget that the Bucs went into midseason comas in back-to-back seasons, and it wouldn't be the first time they pooch a hot start and need to dig themselves out of a hole.
It wouldn't even be the first time the Lions were the reason why. Back in 2023 the Bucs were flexed into the Game of the Week window against Detroit and proceeded to lose 20-6 in a game that triggered a brutal losing streak.
The good news is that things feel different this time around. Baker is on another level and the team continues to subvert our expectations at every turn. The Week 2 win over Houston was magical, the win last Sunday over Seattle was a statement, and this victory over San Francisco is one that announces the Bucs as true Super Bowl contenders.
But, to Baker's point, that's all they are now -- contenders. The Bucs have won five games, but it takes a lot more to hoist a Lombardi Trophy. The vibes are immaculate, and it's easy for a team to get caught up in the moment and lose sight of the Big Picture. Hearing Baker center the team and to hear him sound so unsatisfied with a 5-1 start is the type of leadership fans dream of having, and the Bucs are lucky enough to have it as a reality.