On Friday, New York Jets defensive coordinator Steve Wilks addressed Baker Mayfield's recent comments about his release by the Carolina Panthers during Wilks' tenure as interim head coach in 2022.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback called out Wilks after the game last week, saying the 29-27 win over the Jets felt personal because "their D-coordinator was the one that cut me in Carolina."
Steve Wilks fires back at Baker Mayfield
During his media availability, Wilks responded by showing respect for Mayfield's talent and current performance with the Bucs, but pushed back on the suggestion that he was the sole decision-maker behind Mayfield's release.
"I don’t really think an interim coach has that much authority over personnel," Wilks said. "If that's the case, I wouldn't have gotten rid of our best player, Christian McCaffrey."
The Panthers traded star running back Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers in October 2022.
Mayfield started the 2022 season as Carolina's quarterback but was sidelined by an ankle injury. He ultimately sought a release after Wilks indicated he wouldn't be a starter or backup moving forward.