As a student athlete, Baker Mayfield had offers. Washington State, Rice, Florida Atlantic — all ready to give him a scholarship. But he turned them all down. He wanted something bigger, riskier. He walked on at Texas Tech instead — no guarantees, no safety net — just a shot to prove he belonged. Then he did something no walk-on true freshman had ever done: started a season opener as an FBS quarterback. But that was just the beginning.

When he transferred to Oklahoma, he wasn’t just fighting for a roster spot — he was fighting for eligibility itself. The NCAA said no. So did the Big 12. And when Texas Tech refused to release him, he lost a year of football. But not his fight. That battle would later lead to a rule change now known as the “Baker Mayfield Rule” — walk-ons could transfer within the Big 12 without penalty.

It’s a story most fans know in pieces: the misfit QB, the chip on his shoulder, the Heisman Trophy. What’s easy to miss is just how much of that journey was fueled by setbacks. The kid who couldn’t get on the field in 2014 rewrote the history books in 2017. The guy who sat because of transfer red tape became the first walk-on to win college football’s biggest prize. That entire arc — from rejection to reinvention — is why his latest off-field move feels less like a publicity stunt and more like destiny.

Now, fresh off signing a three-year, $100 million extension with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Mayfield and his wife Emily announced a new initiative through their foundation: the Walk-On Scholarship. Two student-athletes — walk-ons in their sophomore, senior, or graduate years — will receive $10,000 each to help ease the financial burden of chasing their dream. The announcement was made via social channels and the foundation’s website, with Mayfield writing, “My experience as a walk-on student athlete shaped who I am today. Emily and I wanted to find a way to support future walk-ons to reach their goals and full potential. The hard work and dedication these athletes put in every day and the belief they have in themselves got them this far. I hope this scholarship can help them reach even greater heights in and out of sports, by relieving some of the financial pressure of college.” The gesture may not make headlines like the contract did, but for those walking the same path he once did, it could mean everything.

And the Mayfields aren’t stopping there. Since launching the Baker & Emily Mayfield Foundation in 2023, they’ve donated over $100,000 toward early childhood education, $25,000 to hurricane relief efforts, $15,000 to after-school programs in Tampa, and over $10,000 to local diaper and baby supply banks. They’ve supported holiday gift drives and community programs — not with giant PR campaigns, but with a focused commitment to the kinds of causes that build stability from the ground up.

From where he started to where he is now, the arc is unmistakable: Baker Mayfield is still playing for the underdogs. Only now, he’s giving them something he never had—someone on their side.

More than a gesture: Mirroring Baker Mayfield’s career

In a world where big contracts often lead to bigger egos, Mayfield’s actions paint a different picture. He hasn’t forgotten the weight of sleeping on a teammate’s couch, the sting of sitting out, or the price of betting on yourself when no one else will. Now, with millions in the bank and a starting role cemented, he’s choosing to make room for the next kid nobody believed in. Texas and Oklahoma walk-ons — the very states that shaped his football identity — will be eligible for the first round of scholarships.

This wasn’t just a feel-good announcement buried in an offseason news cycle. The Walk-On Scholarship speaks to something deeper — something that’s shaped Mayfield’s entire identity as a player. For all the headlines about his Heisman and draft position, Mayfield’s path through the NFL has mirrored his college struggle almost beat for beat. He entered the league as a No. 1 pick by Cleveland in 2018.

By 2022, he was bouncing between three teams in a single calendar year. He started games in Carolina, got released, landed in L.A., and barely had time to unpack. Nothing was guaranteed. Not reps. Not roster spots. Not relevance. He had to fight his way back — again — just like he did at Texas Tech and Oklahoma, where being overlooked wasn’t a phase. It was the job description.

And then came Tampa. A city and franchise that didn’t just give him another chance — they offered him something much rarer: fit. After years of short-term stops and shifting schemes, the Buccaneers handed him the keys, not as a placeholder, but as their guy. He responded with a playoff run, a career reset, and a contract that finally said: you belong here.

The Walk-On Scholarship sits at the intersection of where Mayfield’s career started and where it finally found traction. On the surface, it’s a $10,000 boost for two student-athletes walking the same uncertain path he once did. But it doubles as something else — a quiet reflection of his own second chance. Tampa Bay gave him stability. Now he’s using it to pass something along. Not as a grand gesture, but as a practical nudge for the next kid trying to hang on without a safety net.