Baker Mayfield has a brutally honest quote about his time with Buccaneers

Earlier this offseason there seemed to be some doubt that Baker Mayfield would return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Right before free agency was set to open, rumors started popping up that suggested Baker might leave to sign with the Patriots, Vikings, or even the Falcons. It ended up being unnecessary last-minute drama, as Mayfield's situation ended in the most logical way: with him back in Tampa Bay.

The Bucs gave Mayfield a three-year, $100 million contract before the tampering window opened, ending any debate about whether he'd be back. For some it came as a surprise that he didn't test free agency and potentially get even more money, but those people both don't follow the Buccaneers and clearly haven't been paying attention.

Baker Mayfield gets brutally honest about his time with Buccaneers

The signs always pointed to Baker returning to the Buccaneers. He was vocal about how much he appreciated Jason Licht and Tampa Bay's front office from the start and that mutal admiration only grew as the season went on.

It's a feeling that has continued to grow stronger this offseason.

Baker stopped by The Mike Calta Show and dropped an absolute dynamite quote. Not only is it brutally honest, but it also reminds us just how bought in he is with what the Bucs are building and how much he wants to be a part of it.

“You’re having a lot more fun when you’re not getting shipped off to different places like a piece of dirty laundry, I’ll tell you that. So when I got embraced in Tampa, it made a world of difference. I’ve always played ball to enjoy it. I mean, it is a game. Yes, it is my job, but I love it so much," Mayfield said.

This is pure Baker, who has never been afraid to be a warts-and-all type of player. It's both brutally honest about how his career had gone, and a massive endorsement of the Bucs and how much love he has for Tampa Bay.

Both Baker and the Bucs were mocked when the two agreed to link up in free agency last March, but they were the ones getting the last laugh. The relationship produced a fourth straight playoff appearance for Tampa Bay as well as a third consecutive NFC South division title. Mayfield used the chip on his shoudler to revive his career, set new highs in important passing categories, and make the Pro Bowl.

The way Tampa Bay was always in his corner meant something to him, and his grit helped give the team a new identity in the post-Tom Brady era. He embodied and embraced the underdog narrative and helped the Bucs use the doubt experts were flinging at them as fuel.

It was a perfect pairing in every single way, and it's clear that the love Baker and the Bucs have for one another is on a totally different level than most folks were willing to recognize.

More Tampa Bay Buccaneers news and rumors