It’s hard to argue that the hottest rivalry in the NFC South over the past decade has been the Bucs and the Saints. Each team has taken their turns pummeling the other as a team and as players. We’ve had the Mike Evans and Marshon Lattimore saga, a stellar playoff matchups, player injuries and words taken back and forth.

While the rivalry was already at a boiling point before Baker Mayfield even put on a Bucs uniform, he has quickly learned to detest the Saints whenever they play twice a season. Over the summer, Mayfield appeared on the podcast Pardon My Take where he was  jokingly asked if he felt bad about getting Mike Evans 1,000 yards in a manufactured way against the Saints in the last game of the season.

“I hate the Saints.” Mayfield emphatically replied. “Absolutely not.”

Baker Mayfield Explains Why He Doesn’t Like The Saints

Baker Mayfield was asked on Wednesday as the Bucs get ready to face the Saints in New Orleans on Sunday about why he particularly doesn’t like this division rival and why it’s gotten so intense in his three seasons with Tampa Bay.

“It hasn’t exactly been clean play from their part when we play them,” Mayfield said. “It’s a physical game. It is what it is. You expect it, division rival. Not much else to say besides the fact that I don’t like them.”

Mayfield has gone 3-1 against the Saints as the Bucs’ quarterback. He’s thrown for 1,101 yards with 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions. While he’s been productive putting up points, the Saints have been able to get to him as well with the turnovers.

The most notable game besides the season finale where Evans got over 1,000 yards had to be earlier in the season in New Orleans when the Bucs clobbered the Saints 51-27. Mayfield threw for 325 yards, four touchdowns and three picks in the game. They return back there this weekend with another blowout win.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: USA Today

It probably comes as no surprise that Baker Mayfield and Bucs general manager Jason Licht share a bond over several things, including football, dive bars and of course, their hatred of the Saints.

Licht appeared on the Pewter Report Podcast over the summer and went into detail on which NFC South he felt is the Bucs’ biggest rival.

“I hate the Saints,” Licht said before the question could even be finished. “It’s almost a compliment to them. I like some people that work there, I like Mickey Loomis. I always enjoy talking to him at the owner’s meeting. Got some really good friends on their staff, but I just for some reason I just can’t wait to beat their ass.”

“They’re always tough. They’re a tough team no matter what. It doesn’t matter what they’re record is. I have a lot of respect for them.”

The Bucs and Saints are teams that are going in two very different directions. Tampa Bay is 5-2 and is in the running for the number one seed in the conference. New Orleans on the other hand is 1-6 and has the worst record in the conference while not having good cap room or draft classes. They’re a scrappy group, though and have played some competitive games.

Bucs GM Jason Licht and QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by Cliff Welch P/R

That’s why it’s important for the Bucs not to take them lightly on Sunday. The bye week is just around the corner, but going into a week off with a 6-2 record sounds a lot better. Tampa Bay and Mayfield played their worst game of the season last week, so this can also be a get right kind of game and opportunity.