The Tampa Bay Buccaneers seem to have found a new lease on life with Jalon Daniels. After giving Baker Mayfield a massive contract extension, they started the season by losing their first three games, which was made worse when Mayfield suffered a dislocated right thumb late in their Week 3 loss to Minnesota.
In his place, the undrafted rookie quarterback was given the starting nod. And after a rough first game, he’s put together two solid outings. But fans were left stunned when he celebrated a touchdown in Week 6 with the man he’s replaced, Baker Mayfield.
Fans Unsure of What to Make of Jalon Daniels Celebrating With Baker Mayfield
At 0-4 with their starting quarterback injured, it seemed like the Buccaneers were headed towards a full-blown collapse. But a shocking victory on Thursday Night Football against the Dallas Cowboys gave them the first win of the year.
Daniels, who ranked 19th on PFN’s QB Impact Metric, in just the second start of his career, looked extremely solid. And he’s followed up that outing with another strong performance, this time against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Leading 16-3 midway through the third quarter, he has 114 yards and a touchdown through the air. But thanks to his two-way capabilities, he has also made a difference on the ground with 29 rushing yards on just three carries.
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But the most shocking moment of the game, for a lot of fans, came in the second quarter. After a touchdown pass to Emeka Egbuka, Daniels went to the sideline to celebrate with Mayfield.
And opinions were split on whether the situation was a sign of good locker-room chemistry or whether tension was brewing beneath the surface. As a result, fans took to social media to make their voices heard.
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“You can tell he’s seething,”one fan argued in reference to Mayfield, who had just signed a three-year contract worth $165 million in the offseason after a long negotiation period with the franchise.
“Baker (is) not fooling me,” one fan claimed, as he believed the former first overall pick wasn’t truly ecstatic about Daniels finding success in his absence.
Another fan had a similar reaction, claiming, “Baker (is) big mad.”
However, as some fans celebrated it as a “Good QB room,” Ticket Whiz argued that the camaraderie between the two was a sign of the relationship in the locker room.
“Jalon Daniels throwing a touchdown pass and Baker celebrating with him is great to see,” they wrote. “Is this the best locker room vibe in the league right now?”
One fan, though, hilariously took offense at Mayfield congratulating his backup quarterback with his injured hand, potentially risking further injury.
He joked, “High-fiving with your injured hand, lol cmon Baker.”
It remains to be seen how the Buccaneers continue to function under Daniels. So far, the returns have been about as good as the franchise could have expected. But with Mayfield’s return imminent, the team has to hope they can carry this momentum forward with him as well.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.