Baker Mayfield sparks Bucs with ‘Double Tommy’ tribute vs. Giants

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got back into the win column for the first time since Oct. 13, complete with a “Double Tommy” celebration from quarterback Baker Mayfield.

Mayfield said his end zone celebration during the Bucs’ 30-7 victory over the New York Giants on Sunday at MetLife Stadium was a “tribute” to Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito.

With 20 seconds to go in the first half, Mayfield scrambled up the middle and hurdled New York cornerback  Cor’Dale Flott into the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown. Mayfield then shot up, raised both arms into the air, curled his fingers and pumped his arms wildly toward the fans in a move that has become a signature of DeVito’s and a nod to his Italian heritage.

“It was a tribute. A tribute to Tommy,” Mayfield, who swore it was unplanned, said with a deadpanned expression. “He’s a good dude.”

“Most of the time, I don’t know what I’m going to do so … spontaneous stuff,” he added. “New York fans love Tommy here, so give ’em something they like.”

Mayfield was then asked if he too was Italian.

“I haven’t done a 23andMe, but I don’t know,” he said.

DeVito said he was unaware of Mayfield’s celebration until he was informed after the game.

“They were having a good game. They celebrated,” DeVito said. “It is what it is. Kind of happened last year. It’s going to happen, I guess.”

Mayfield sustained a stinger in the game after colliding with multiple teammates while trying to recover a fourth-quarter fumble. It required him to visit the injury tent but did not force him to miss a down.

“Just kind of an awkward little — not tackle — but diving in for the ball,” Mayfield said. “Feel good though.”

Mayfield said he and DeVito met briefly in Las Vegas at the Super Bowl in February.

“He had his chain blinged out, swag, walking through the casino. It was awesome,” Mayfield said. “It was like a movie scene, honestly.

“He’s got that swag man.”

Mayfield’s teammates loved his end zone move.

“I didn’t know he was going to do that,” said Tampa Bay running back  Bucky Irving, who rushed for 87 yards on 12 carries with a touchdown and tacked on 64 receiving yards. “I mean, he got in there and then pretty much did it, and we were all happy for him.”

Cornerback Zyon McCollum offered his take.

“Baker, he just invigorates the entire team,” McCollum said. “All the stuff he does — that was a crazy play, him jumping in there like that, hurdling a guy. He’s more slippery than you anticipate. But having a quarterback who has passion like that and grit like that … we all feed off of it.”

Some Giants, however, didn’t find the humor in Mayfield’s celebration. 

“That’s what happens when you lose,” New York wide receiver Darius Slayton said after the game. “When you lose, you allow people to do stuff like that.”

Bucs coach Todd Bowles said he didn’t see Mayfield’s celebration but praised his starting quarterback, who completed 24-of-30 passes for 294 passing yards. Mayfield’s rushing touchdown was one of four scores on the ground by the Bucs.

“He did a heck of a job,” Bowles said. “Baker just plays ball. He loves playing ball. He had some great scrambles. He bought some time. He made some runs. He played a heck of a ball game.”

ESPN’s Jordan Raanan contributed to this report.