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 t

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