January 20, 2026 — The NFC South just got spicier. After the Atlanta Falcons introduced their new head coach, a familiar name popped back into the frame: Kevin Stefanski. And Baker Mayfield had something to say about it.

Mayfield, now the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ starter and a two-time Pro Bowler in Tampa, answered a sharp critique from Falcons beat writer D. Orlando Ledbetter by aiming straight at Stefanski, his former head coach in Cleveland. When Ledbetter labeled Mayfield and Deshaun Watson as “failures” in Cleveland, Mayfield clapped back by pointing to his cold relationship with Stefanski after the Browns moved on.

“Failed is quite the reach pal. Still waiting on a text/call from him after I got shipped off like a piece of garbage. Can’t wait to see you twice a year, Coach,” Mayfield posted, making it clear that the hire in Atlanta reignited old wounds.

Ledbetter’s line was blunt: “Falcons’ Kevin Stefanski had a dumpster fire at quarterback in Cleveland — Baker Mayfield and Deshaun Watson failed, which started a chain reaction to 11 other starters.” It was the kind of comment that travels fast, and this time, it carried right into a budding division rivalry.

Why Mayfield Spoke Up Now

This is personal. Stefanski coached Mayfield with the Cleveland Browns in 2020 and 2021. Their first season together was a high: the Browns made the playoffs in 2020 and reached the Divisional Round. The next year, Mayfield played through a partially torn labrum, the team stumbled, and the partnership fizzled.

After 2021, the Browns traded for Deshaun Watson and later shipped Mayfield to the Carolina Panthers for a fifth-round pick. According to Mayfield, he never heard from Stefanski after that. Now, Stefanski sits across the division in Atlanta. That’s two meetings a year, minimum.

“If it was so bad in Cleveland, why did they win a playoff game with Stefanski and Baker together?”

The Browns Breakup, in Plain Terms

Mayfield’s Cleveland story is a swing between hope and hurt. In 2020, he ran a sharp, efficient offense and won a playoff game for a fan base starving for it. In 2021, he got hurt and tried to gut it out. The results weren’t pretty. Cleveland changed direction fast.

From there, Mayfield bounced: Carolina, then a short stop with the Los Angeles Rams late in 2022. In 2023, he signed with Tampa Bay and rebuilt his stock, making the Pro Bowl in 2023 and 2024 and helping the Bucs to two NFC South titles. The 2025 Bucs finished 8–9 and missed the playoffs, but Mayfield’s personal rebound is real.

Stefanski’s Resume: Awards vs. Results

Kevin Stefanski is no lightweight. He’s a two-time AP Coach of the Year. He brought stability to Cleveland early. But the past two years were rough. His Browns went 8–26 across his final two seasons, and across six total seasons he finished 45–56 before being fired earlier this month.

Two things can be true at once: Stefanski has coached winning football at a high level, and the Browns’ offense never found lasting footing after 2020. The quarterback room churned, the injuries piled up, and the grand Watson plan did not pay off the way the franchise hoped. Now, Atlanta is betting that the early-version Stefanski shows up again.

“Awards are cool. The NFC South scoreboard is cooler. Show us in September.”

The Numbers Behind the Noise

Strip away the talk, and Mayfield’s play vs. Atlanta has been solid since the Falcons became a direct rival. Across two meetings in the 2025–2026 season window, he posted a 94.5 passer rating with 444 yards, 5 touchdowns, and just 1 interception.

Still, Tampa Bay has dropped three of the last four to Atlanta. That’s the scoreboard that matters. Mayfield has been productive; the Bucs haven’t closed the deal often enough against the Falcons. That tension is part of what makes this feud compelling. The quarterback has a point to prove. So does the coach.

How We Got Here: The Spark

Ledbetter’s critique pulled a lot of threads at once: Cleveland’s turmoil, the Watson trade, and the long list of other Browns starters who followed. Calling it a “dumpster fire” put Mayfield back in the line of fire, even after he’s crafted a second act in Tampa.

Mayfield’s response wasn’t just about reputation. It was a direct shot at respect. Players talk about front-office decisions all the time, but saying a coach never called after a trade carries real sting. The subtext is simple: trust was broken.

What It Means for the NFC South

Now the coach and his former quarterback are separated by one sideline and a short flight. Stefanski is in Atlanta as of January 18, 2026. Mayfield is still the face of the Bucs’ offense. They will meet twice a year, and Mayfield already circled the dates with his words: “Can’t wait to see you twice a year, Coach.”

For Tampa Bay, the mission is clear after an 8–9 finish: close games better and reclaim the division. For Atlanta, it’s about building Stefanski’s system, finding steady quarterback play, and flipping the momentum that already tilted toward the Falcons in recent head-to-heads.

“Baker has the receipts. Stefanski has the whistle. Let’s see who uses theirs better.”

The Stakes: Reputation, Results, and Receipts

Mayfield’s career has lived under the microscope, and he knows it. This is another chapter in a long book: drafted as a franchise savior, injured, traded, bounced, rebuilt, and now a division cornerstone in Tampa Bay. His words showed that the past still matters to him, and that he’s eager to be judged by what comes next.

Stefanski, a respected play-caller with awards to match, now starts fresh in the same division as his former quarterback. His Browns exit was bumpy. Atlanta offers a reset, but it also brings a spotlight. Beating Tampa Bay would fast-track trust with Falcons fans. Losing to Mayfield would pour fuel on the narrative that Cleveland’s breakup left scars on both sides.

Bottom Line

This isn’t just social media smoke. It’s a real football story with real stakes. Mayfield vs. Stefanski is about trust and results. It’s about a playoff run that once felt like the start of something, and about the messy split that followed.

Now they’re rivals in the NFC South. The quotes will fade. The games won’t. And when Tampa Bay and Atlanta line up later this year, both sides will know exactly where the fire started.