PANTHERS DRAMA: MAYFIELD REVEALS ‘TURNING POINT’ AFTER DARNOLD QB BATTLE.

When Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold take the field this Sunday, they'll be starting quarterbacks for two 3-1 teams enjoying early-season momentum – Mayfield with the Buccaneers, Darnold with the Seahawks. But rewind to 2022, and you’ll find both of them in very different circumstances – battling for the same job on a struggling Carolina Panthers roster, each trying to reignite careers that, at the time, felt dangerously close to stalling.

That brief and forgettable Carolina chapter might feel like ancient history now, especially with both quarterbacks settling into fresh, promising situations. But for Mayfield, the bond formed during that time with Darnold still holds up—even if he’s not exactly feeling nostalgic.

When asked this week whether he and Darnold ever “reminisce about the good old days,” Mayfield couldn’t help but laugh before pivoting to what actually mattered: mutual respect and shared resilience.

"Sam and I are really close," Mayfield told reporters. "I’m happy for him -- from going a couple different places that weren't great for us to having a good opportunity elsewhere, it’s fun to see. I knew he just needed that chance, and he's thriving now. It’s good to see, but hopefully not this weekend." That last line? Classic competitor. Because make no mistake - friendship is great, but this Sunday’s all business.

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Both quarterbacks came into the league in 2018 as top-three overall picks (Mayfield No. 1, Darnold No. 3). However, those rookie contracts didn’t yield the long-term franchise roles their former teams had envisioned. By the summer of 2022, they were battling it out for Carolina’s QB1 spot, two high-profile reclamation projects in the same locker room. Mayfield ended up winning the starting job in camp, but an injury midseason opened the door for P.J. Walker, and just like that, Mayfield's Panthers stint began to unravel. He eventually signed with Tampa Bay in March 2023—a move that not only gave his career new life but, finally, a bit of traction.

Meanwhile, Darnold took a different path. He spent 2023 as a backup in San Francisco—a year that provided a valuable reset in terms of mechanics and perspective. His reward? A resurgent 2024 season with the Vikings followed by a three-year, $100.5 million deal from the Seahawks this past March – a fresh opportunity to finally cement himself as a franchise quarterback.

There’s more than just shared history or storylines at play in this Week 5 matchup. Both Seattle and Tampa Bay are tied atop their respective divisions at 3-1, and with quarterback play looking sharp on both sides, this game could have long-term implications beyond October.

ESPN BET has the Buccaneers as 3.5-point underdogs heading into Seattle—a tough road test for Mayfield, especially against an aggressive Seahawks defense. But perhaps Sunday ends up being more than just a compelling early-season game. Maybe it’s a preview of something bigger—a potential postseason clash between two quarterbacks who’ve battled the league’s unforgiving arc and lived to tell the story. Either way, it’s not just a reunion. It’s a measuring stick—for how far they’ve both come since Carolina, and where they might be heading from here.