Falcons HC Kevin Stefanski Responds to Baker Mayfield's 'Piece of Garbage' Shot Over Cleveland Exit

Stefanski expressed respect for Mayfield despite the quarterback's criticism of how he was traded from the Browns.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 1:31pm

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Atlanta Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski did not lash out at Baker Mayfield for his recent comments about his time with the Cleveland Browns. Stefanski said he has 'a ton of respect' for Mayfield as both a player and a person, despite Mayfield's criticism of how he was traded from the Browns.

Why it matters

The exchange between Stefanski and Mayfield highlights the lingering tensions and rivalries that can develop between players and coaches, even after they've moved on to different teams. Stefanski's measured response suggests he is focused on moving forward with the Falcons rather than getting drawn into a public feud.

The details

Last week, Mayfield went to Twitter to respond to a post by Falcons beat writer D. Orlando Ledbetter, who said that Mayfield and Deshaun Watson 'failed' when Stefanski was the Browns' head coach. Mayfield said he was 'still waiting on a text/call from him after I got shipped off like a piece of garbage.' However, Stefanski said he would not 'get into the specifics of those type of things' and expressed his respect for Mayfield as both a player and a person.

  • On Tuesday, Stefanski spoke to the media during his introductory press conference as the new Falcons head coach.

The players

Kevin Stefanski

The new head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, who previously served as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns.

Baker Mayfield

The quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who previously played for the Cleveland Browns and was traded to the Carolina Panthers in 2022.

Deshaun Watson

The quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, who was acquired by the team in a trade with the Houston Texans in 2022.

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What they’re saying

“Baker's somebody that I have a ton of respect for as a player and a person. I love rivalries in sports, and obviously, Buccaneers-Falcons have a great rivalry. It's something that I'm excited about. But I would not get into the specifics of those type of things, other than to say I have a ton of respect for Baker as a player, as a person, that's a great team with a great player.”

— Kevin Stefanski, Falcons Head Coach (Associated Press)

What’s next

Stefanski will look to turn around a Falcons team that has not made the playoffs since the 2017 season, while Mayfield will aim to revive his career with the Buccaneers.

The takeaway

Despite the lingering tensions between Stefanski and Mayfield over the quarterback's exit from Cleveland, the new Falcons coach took the high road and expressed respect for Mayfield, suggesting he is focused on moving forward with his new team rather than getting drawn into a public feud.