Even before Wednesday’s trade, Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule was pretty familiar with Baker Mayfield. In fact, he once got himself the full Baker Mayfield experience.
That came in the collegiate ranks, where Rhule’s Baylor Bears clashed with Mayfield’s Oklahoma Sooners on Sept. 23, 2017. And, as the legend of Baker has often gone, it started with some fun (and kinda naughty) pregame trash talk.
The last time Baker Mayfield and Matt Rhule were on the same field together, Baker told the Baylor Bears in pregame: "You forgot who daddy is. I'm going to have to spank you…" https://t.co/qU45LdLSZS
— Jake Trotter (@Jake_Trotter) July 7, 2022
Mayfield ended up delivering on that lesson plan he promised Rhule’s squad. In the fourth game of what would be his Heisman Trophy-winning campaign, the Sooner boomed the Bears for 313 total yards and three touchdowns in a 49-41 victory.
In addition to earning college football’s top individual honor, Mayfield also led Oklahoma to a Big 12 title and a date with the Georgia Bulldogs in the Rose Bowl—one they’d fall short in on a 54-48 defeat.
As for Rhule, Baylor went on to chalk up seven losses over their next eight games en route to a dreadful 1-11 record. He would, of course, bounce the program back—guiding the way for seven wins 2018 and then 11 in 2019.
But now, it must be nice for Rhule to have such a loving and caring father figure in his NFL locker room.
