Baker Mayfield: I’m not expecting clean play from the Saints
Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield has never been shy about sharing his feelings and he’s not veering from that approach when it comes to this weekend’s opponent.
The Buccaneers will head to New Orleans for a meeting with the Saints and Mayfield made it clear that he has no love for the team that will be trying to hand Tampa a second straight loss.
“It has not exactly been clean play from their part when we play them,” Mayfield said, via a transcript from the team. “It is a physical game; it is what it is. You expect it [from a] division rival. . . . Yeah, not much else to say besides for the fact that I do not like them.”
It’s not the first time Mayfield has talked about disliking the Saints. During an appearance on Pardon My Take this summer, Mayfield said he didn’t feel bad about throwing passes to Mike Evans so Evans could get to 1,000 receiving yards late in a Week 18 win last season because of the “hate” he has for the Bucs’ NFC South rivals.
Evans won’t be playing this Sunday, but it’s clear the animosity remains in place.
Steelers Part Ways with Injured Offensive Lineman Gareth Warren
PITTSBURGH — After an injury knocked a rookie Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman out of action, his time with the organization has officially come to an end. The Steelers waived Gareth Warren, a massive, 22-year-old offensive tackle, according to the NFL's transaction list.
The move comes after Warren was injured during the Steelers’ second preseason game. Diving for a loose ball, he received a concussion and was unable to return for the rest of preseason action. After being waived with the final roster cuts, the team placed him on the Reserved/Injured List. Now healthy, the team is parting ways with him altogether.
With this designation, Warren is now free to sign with any other NFL team.
Unexpected Rise
Warren joined the Steelers after going undrafted during the 2025 NFL Draft. The 6’6”, 330-pound tackle was passed over after finishing his collegiate career at the FCS school Lindenwood. With several NFL teams interested in signing him as an undrafted free agent, he chose to sign in
The step was a continuation of Warren’s rise up the ranks. Born in Kailua Kona, Hawaii, he was a standout player at Kealakaehe High School before becoming joining the Lindenwood Lions. As a junior, he was a part of an offensive line that dominated the conference and FCS competition. The Lions averaged 39.5 points per game and 509.1 yards per game, both tops in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC).
Lack of Opportunity
Despite showing promise and potential, the road to a spot on the 53-man roster was long. And the road to becoming an impact player at the tackle position even longer.
It’s no disrespect to Warren, but he’s an unrefined player in need of further development and more attention in order to take that next step. Receiving that in Pittsburgh was a low possibility.
The Steelers have two young tackles they fully believe in already. Troy Fautanu has already become an unquestioned staple on the right side, despite this being his first year of playing regular season games in the NFL.
Broderick Jones has similarly gained more and more trust from the Steelers’ coaching staff and starting quarterback, Aaron Rodgers. He and Fautanu haven’t allowed a sack in two straight games, and the offensive line is gelling more and more as the season progresses.
Behind Jones and Fautanu, the Steelers also have veterans like Dylan Cook and Andrus Peat that can step up in the case of injury.
The result is a crowded path for Warren to become an NFL player, and the Steelers are now giving him the chance to catch on somewhere else.
