If I were on another team or program, I'd hate me, too.
— Baker Mayfield
I easily could've gone to a place like Florida Atlantic, but my dad pushed me to realize that my dream was to play somewhere big. He was right.
When people doubt me, I want to prove them wrong.
I had to play the cards that I was dealt to get better mentally, physically, and push myself to limits that I didn't think I was capable of.
At an early age, it was always trying to root for the Sooners. When Jason White won, it was awesome running around my living room like I won it. I've always had fun watching the Heisman ceremony.
If you're not gonna do it right off the field, who's to say we trust you on the field?
You come to Oklahoma to beat Texas. I was born and raised in Austin. They didn't recruit me. I grew up 15 miles from their campus. I can't stand them.
Not everybody responds to yelling at 'em or jumping all over 'em. Sometimes you need to put your arm around somebody and encourage them.
I think I thrive under the spotlight; I live for a big moment.
I've always been a guy who's very confident in my own abilities.
There are a lot of things I would take back, off the field, to be a franchise guy.
Within football, there is a lot of trash talk, a lot of stuff that's not been made aware to everybody.
I don't think I'm over-the-top cocky, I'm just proud of where I came from.
You're not always going to have a perfect day. You're not always going to have the day that you envision.
It doesn't matter the position you're in. If you're not going to work hard, then you're not doing it right.
I have to command the offense. I have to command the team. I have to bring a spark and give us a chance to win.
I was fortunate enough to do a docu-series throughout the draft process, but I did that to show the behind-the-scenes stuff.
Everywhere I look, someone is telling me, 'You're not good enough,' or, 'You can't do this or that.' You can only hear that so many times before enough is enough.
I always have that in the back of my head - the idea that I've been spoon-fed because of where I'm from. I think that's one of the main things that drives me to work harder to show that, in reality, I haven't been handed anything.
You can't beat the Cotton Bowl. There's nothing like that.
I know how to work. Not everything was given to me.
I am a huge Justin Timberlake fan.
I get true joy out of that, being able to help people.
I had to overcome a lot of things, but with that, I've inspired a lot of people.
I set the bar high, and I'll do anything, whatever it takes to win. I care more about this game than most people ever will. When you mix a lot of those things with a winning mentality, it's a good thing to have as a franchise quarterback.
I used to have the mindset of worrying about everybody else's opinions, trying to please everybody, but that's not going to happen.
My dad thinks I have a photographic memory.
You've got to play to your players' talents.
Football is a violent, competitive game. That's the way it was always meant to be played. You are supposed to play with an edge. You are actually supposed to impose your will on the other person to win.
Family first, always, no matter what the situation.
When you can have a relationship that's like that to where everything is out in the open, you are up front, and there is open communication, it makes for a great relationship.
Football is hard to have success. It is tough to do your job.
Any win feels great. It is hard to do.
To be compared to Brett Favre is pretty special, but he was his own player, and so am I. I'm not trying to be Brett Favre, Jr., the second coming. I want to be myself, and I want to be the best to ever play.
I appreciate all the kids who come up and enjoy my play at OU. But everybody giving me their opinions is where I draw the line. If it's someone who hasn't been there before, I really can't handle it. It's 'Slide more.' 'Don't take as many hits.' 'Get out of bounds.' I know they have my best interests at heart. I just have to remind myself of that.
If you can grab a ball and throw it, you can grab a ball and throw it. I don't care how tall you are, either. I'm not gonna see over a 6-foot-7 left tackle. You've gotta find lanes; you've gotta know where your guys are. It's not about the height: if you can win ball games, you can win 'em.
There's always instances where you want those throws back, but the worst part about it is that I can't redo it.
People will have their guesses and opinions on my character, but anyone that's actually sat down and talked to me knows that I don't have any character issues, any off-the-field issues.
My mom and I used to dance to the Jackson 5 in our living room.
Community service has been a great thing for me.
I can listen to all the people patting me on the back, or I can listen to the people saying I need to get better. I know I need to get better, or else there would be nobody saying that.
I learned, for me to play at my best, I need to play with an edge.
I know how to lead.
I'm confident I can show exactly what I'm about, how much I care about football, and how I'd do anything to win.
Teams ask me about my character, but until you sit down and talk to me directly, you might have image that's portrayed in stories or headlines. But I love the game, I'm up front and honest, I know exactly what I'm about, and that's the most important thing.
I'm not trying to please everybody. I'm just trying to play for one team and do it the right way.
It is nice to get reps and to slowly build that timing and chemistry. To be able to do that, you start to get into a rhythm.
I am going to be myself. To me, that is going to take care of the rest.
Anytime you can get the crowd to be a factor, kudos to the crowd.
Expectations are one thing, but you've got to do your own. Got to do your own.
