Baker Mayfield opens up on Buccaneers-Titans practice fight

Baker Mayfield had his team ready to fight — even before the regular season.

The Buccaneers and Titans competed against each other at a joint practice in more ways than one on Thursday, and when Tampa Bay’s first team offense went up against the defensive line of the Titans, things got heated fast.

Running back Bucky Irving was tossed to the ground, leading to both teams leaving the sidelines for a fight. 

In the middle of all that fighting was signal caller Mayfield, who said he was proud of his team and called the scuffle “fun.” 

“It’s going to happen, and our group’s not going to back down,” Mayfield said afterward. “You’re going to shove people late in the back, we’re not going to back down. We’re not going to start it, because we’re not stupid, but we’ll finish it.”

Nevertheless, there was one part of the fight that Mayfield was not too pleased with.

Star offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs is recovering from an arthroscopic surgery on his knee, which will force him to miss the beginning of the 2025 season. And even while on crutches, Wirfs did not back down and hobbled into the fray. 

“He needs to stay his ass on the sideline with those crutches,” Mayfield said of Wirfs.

Joint practice fights during the preseason are not uncommon with two other fights happening in just the past few days at NFL training camps. There was a fight between the Colts and Ravens, and a scuffle with the Patriots and Commanders that left new New England head coach Mike Vrabel with blood on his cheek.  

The Bucs and Titans will take the action to the game field when they open up their preseason schedules at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay on Saturday. 

The two teams are gearing up for different seasons.

The Bucs are looking to build upon their 2024, which saw them earn a playoff berth. On the other side of the coin, the Titans, who tied for the worst record in the NFL last year, are seeing if rookie Cam Ward can bring them some more wins.