CLEVELAND, Ohio -- In the NFL, perception is reality -- until it isn't.
Few players understand this truth better than Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield, whose fiery on-field demeanor once made him a polarizing figure in the league.
Now, as the conductor of Tampa's red-hot 4-1 start, that same intensity is being celebrated as a championship quality.
On Wednesday, Mayfield addressed this perception shift with characteristic bluntness.
"Early on in my career, it's looked as cocky, immature," Mayfield said. "Now it's Moxy, he's a dog, so it's same, different day. Just as long as you play well, they change the narrative."
This observation cuts to the heart of sports media's conditional relationship with athlete personalities. The behavior hasn't changed -- the results have. And in the NFL's results-oriented culture, winning doesn't just solve problems; it completely rewrites the story.
When asked if his fundamental character has evolved, Mayfield acknowledged growth while defending his essence.
"At the core definitely the same. But (I) matured in different ways, not worried about little things that really don't matter." Mayfield said. "You put it in the landscape of a competitive football game and that atmosphere, that'll never change."
The transformation of Mayfield's public image serves as a case study in how professional sports create heroes and villains based on scoreboard outcomes rather than actual behavior.
The very traits that made him a target of criticism during his Cleveland years -- his emotional play, his outspoken nature, his refusal to back down -- are now being repackaged as leadership qualities in Tampa Bay.
This rebranding isn't lost on Mayfield. His perspective reveals a player who has made peace with the fickle nature of public opinion while refusing to compromise his authentic self.
The jawing with fans, the emotional displays, the competitive fire -- these aren't side effects of his success but integral components of what makes him effective.
Perhaps most telling is Mayfield's approach to the pregame confrontation with a Seattle Seahawks fan.
When asked about the satisfaction of having "the last word" after winning, his simple response -- "pretty fun" -- encapsulates both his competitive mindset and his understanding that results validate behavior in professional sports.
For Buccaneers fans, this version of Mayfield -- confident, fiery, and unapologetic -- is exactly what the franchise needed.
As the team surges to an unexpected 4-1 start, his leadership style has become a perfect match for a roster full of players who, as Mayfield puts it, are "wound like that."
The lesson? In the NFL, perception isn't about changing who you are -- it's about changing the scoreboard. As Mayfield continues to do the latter, his once-controversial persona isn't just being tolerated; it's being celebrated.