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Jenna Laine, ESPN Staff Writer
TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is a man of his word, even if it meant a walk of shame to the podium during his weekly news conference.
On Wednesday, the University of Oklahoma’s 2017 Heisman Trophy winner donned a black and yellow University of Missouri sweatshirt that read “Mizzou Grandma.”
Immediately recognizing it as the product of a lost bet, Rick Stroud, a reporter from the Tampa Bay Times, asked, “Who’s your Mizzou guy?”
Mayfield took off his cap and responded, “Um…We don’t have one. It’s [team reporter] Casey Phillips.”
Mayfield then stepped in front of the podium to reveal that the sweatshirt read, “Mizzou Grandma,” and was greeted by laughter, including that from Phillips, who was standing in the room.
When asked if he borrowed it from Phillips’ grandmother, he responded, “Well, it’s definitely not mine.”
Mizzou beat Mayfield’s Oklahoma Sooners 30-23 on Nov. 9, with Zion Young returning a fumble 17 yards for a touchdown with 22 seconds left, following a Triston Newson sack of OU quarterback Jackson Arnold.
Phillips, who has served as the team reporter since 2015, posted on X: “I have to give Baker a TON of credit for being a man of his word and also rolling with it despite the grandma curveball I threw in there.”
His former Sooners teammate, wide receiver Sterling Shepard, who is now in Tampa, said, “That’s not fun. Listen, I’m not making any bets because I’m not wearing any other team.”
Mizzou Athletics got word of it and chimed in as well.
Baker 🤝 Cook 👩🍳
Gold might just be your color, @bakermayfield#MIZ 🐯 https://t.co/4uaRyk0Wzn
— Mizzou Athletics (@MizzouAthletics) December 4, 2024
