Baker Mayfield didn’t seem too bothered by the Texas Longhorns’ attempt to troll him following their dominant win over the Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday. After Texas claimed a 34-3 victory in the Red River Showdown at the Cotton Bowl, Longhorns linebackers Anthony Hill Jr. and Barryn Sorrell took their celebration to the next level by planting a Longhorns flag through a Mayfield jersey at midfield—a clear nod to Mayfield’s infamous 2017 flag-planting incident.
The moment immediately went viral, and it was clear that Hill and Sorrell were looking to get back at Mayfield for something that happened nearly a decade ago. However, when asked about it after leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a decisive win over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, Mayfield remained unfazed and even seemed amused by the whole thing.
“Just a kid from Austin, Texas that went to Oklahoma, won his last two Red River games, and being rent-free in their heads for almost a decade,” Mayfield responded calmly, via Jenna Laine of ESPN.
The roots of the incident trace back to 2017, when Mayfield, then the starting quarterback for the Sooners, led Oklahoma to a victory over Ohio State in Columbus. After the game, Mayfield memorably took an Oklahoma flag and planted it in the middle of Ohio Stadium, sparking outrage from Buckeyes fans and creating one of the most iconic moments of his college career. The gesture solidified Mayfield’s reputation as a fiery competitor who wasn’t afraid to make bold statements.
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Fast-forward to this past weekend, and the Longhorns players decided to turn Mayfield’s famous flag plant on its head by using his jersey in a similar manner. The message was clear: Texas was looking for payback, even if it was symbolic.
But if the Texas players thought they were getting under Mayfield’s skin, they were mistaken. The former Heisman Trophy winner laughed off the flag-planting retaliation, emphasizing that he’s been living “rent-free” in the minds of Texas players ever since his Oklahoma days. Rather than feeling insulted, Mayfield seemed to relish the idea that nearly 10 years later, his presence still lingers in the rivalry.
Mayfield’s calm and witty response to the incident shows how comfortable he is with his legacy at Oklahoma, where he led the Sooners to two Red River Rivalry wins over Texas in his final two seasons. The rivalry between Oklahoma and Texas has always been heated, and Mayfield’s actions and persona added extra fuel to the fire during his time in Norman.
The Longhorns’ attempt to take a jab at Mayfield highlights the lasting impact he had on the rivalry, even though he’s now playing on Sundays. While Hill and Sorrell may have celebrated their victory in a way that paid homage to Mayfield’s iconic moment, Mayfield’s response suggests that he still considers himself the one with the upper hand in the rivalry.
As Mayfield continues his NFL career with the Buccaneers, it’s clear that his college days still hold a special place in his heart, especially when it comes to the Red River Showdown. Whether it’s the Texas players trying to troll him or the memories of his past triumphs, Mayfield seems to take it all in stride, knowing that his legacy at Oklahoma is secure.
Ultimately, while Texas may have won the game and planted the flag, Mayfield’s cool and confident reaction shows that he’s not losing any sleep over it. In fact, he’s still living rent-free in the heads of Longhorns players, and that’s exactly where he wants to be.
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