CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- It seemed like a light-hearted moment in early October when Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield was asked if he and Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold "reminisced about the good old days in Carolina,'' when both were with the Panthers during the 2022 season.
"Uh, reminisce about what days?'' deadpanned Mayfield, whose answer didn't feel light-hearted at all.
It was a reminder of how difficult his brief time in Carolina was.
Mayfield and the Bucs (7-7) will face the Panthers (7-7) Sunday (1 p.m. ET, Fox) at Bank of America Stadium and again in Week 18 at Raymond James Stadium, as they battle for the NFC South title. Tampa Bay has won four straight division championships. Carolina is playing its first meaningful game against Mayfield, as it tries to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
Mayfield is 4-0 against the Panthers since being released late during the 2022 season, 5-0 counting his days with the Cleveland Browns.
As Carolina running back Rico Dowdle said earlier this season when preparing to face his former team, the Dallas Cowboys, "Buckle up."
"I know in 2023, when we were playing them his first time, [Mayfield] was really hostile,'' said Carolina wide receiver David Moore, who was the Bucs that season. "His whole mode all week was 'F them.'
"Now, all the people he had a problem with are gone. I don't know if it'll be hostile. Maybe just energetic.''
Carolina guard Austin Corbett and Mayfield were drafted by Cleveland in 2018 and were Carolina teammates in 2022. Corbett said he wouldn't be surprised if the 2017 Heisman Trophy winner harnesses that energy Sunday.
"He's going to create his own personal motivation,'' Corbett said. "It's going to be fun.''
Nothing about 2022 was fun for anyone involved, particularly Mayfield. He was acquired a few weeks before training camp, beat out Darnold for the starting job, missed a game with an ankle injury, then was benched in favor of journeyman P.J. Walker. He made one more start before being released by Carolina.
Interim coach Steve Wilks -- who took over when Matt Rhule was fired after a 1-4 start -- said at the time the decision to move on from Mayfield was a mutual agreement between the two sides and that Mayfield asked for his release after learning he wouldn't be the starter or backup moving forward.
After Mayfield's Bucs topped the Jets in late September -- with Wilks as their then-defensive coordinator -- Mayfield said "[Wilks] was the one who cut me in Carolina. So a lot of stuff was personal."
According to multiple sources close to the Panthers at the time, that was a decision made "from the top" of the franchise.
This week, Mayfield's focus will be on putting Tampa Bay in the driver's seat for the division title. A win on Sunday and next week against the Miami Dolphins would secure it.
In his four starts for the Bucs against the Panthers, Mayfield has completed 64.7% of his pass attempts for 933 yards, 7 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. He was at his best last season against Carolina, completing 84.4% of 32 attempts for 359 yards and five touchdowns.
That presents a problem for a Carolina secondary that coach Dave Canales called "totally disjointed'' in allowing New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough to rally his team from a 10-point second-half deficit to beat the Panthers 20-17 on Sunday.
Canales has a history with Mayfield, too. As Tampa's offensive coordinator, he was a big part of Mayfield's resurrection in 2023, when Mayfield threw 28 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions en route to a Pro Bowl nod and the playoffs.
"We didn't talk much about his experience [in Carolina]," Canales said. "When we first met, it was more just the collective experiences he's had throughout the NFL.''
But former Carolina teammates sensed how tough the 2022 season was on Mayfield.
"I remember how hard it was, but it was hard on everybody,'' tight end Tommy Tremble said. "He never said anything bad or personal about anyone in this building when that whole transition was happening. I respect him for that.''
The saving grace for Mayfield that season was being picked up by the Los Angeles Rams in December to replace the injured Matthew Stafford. He had an amazing performance in a 51-14 victory over the Denver Broncos on Monday night, completing 24 of 28 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns against a defense coordinated by current Carolina DC Ejiro Evero.
"I think that springboarded him to what he's done at Tampa,'' Evero said. "That's not a fond memory.''
Evero also was on the wrong end of Mayfield's five-touchdown performance against Carolina last season.
"The challenge is he's one of the great competitors in this league,'' Evero said. "So, he's going to fight. His teammates are going to follow him because of the competitive nature he displays.''
Despite the lack of success in Carolina, Mayfield earned his teammates' respect.
"Love the guy,'' Pro Bowl defensive lineman Derrick Brown said. "Appreciate his time here. Hope him and the family are doing well.''
Cornerback Jaycee Horn agreed.
"It was a tough season for everybody,'' he said. "But yeah, he was a pro's pro throughout the whole process, still coming out there at practice, talking trash, trying to go hard, so a lot of respect.''
Said running back Chuba Hubbard, "Baker was a great teammate, a great leader, honestly one of the best guys I've been around.''
The Bucs have lost five of their past six games, but Mayfield has performed well this season, completing 61.2% of his passes for 2,999 yards, 22 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. Injuries to key players (such as wide receiver Mike Evans, who returned from a broken collarbone last week), and a defense that ranks 25th in total yards allowed and 24th in points allowed (25.3 PPG) have played big roles in the losses.
Carolina offensive coordinator Brad Idzik, who was the receivers coach in Tampa Bay in 2023, expects nothing Sunday but high intensity from Mayfield. He recalled one game in particular against San Francisco.
"We told him to get out of the way, don't block anyone,'' Idzik said with a smile. "So Baker didn't listen. He [blocked defensive end] Nick Bosa and allowed the receiver to get out and around.
"And then I couldn't help it. I'm on the sideline flexing, and he's looking over at me flexing. ... He's a competitor.''
Mix that competitiveness with his Carolina past, and defending him might be the Panthers' biggest challenge Sunday.
"Yeah, he's still on it,'' Moore said. "He probably still does have a little hostile part.''