It's pretty hard for a high school football team to win a single game if it can afford the equipment required to take the field, which is the situation one squad in Florida found itself facing ahead of the 2024 season. However, it ended up securing a state title after getting a generous assist from Baker Mayfield.
It seemed like Baker Mayfield was going to become the latest in the long line of quarterbacks to fall victim to the curse that comes with being a quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, but he's kicked off a pretty respectable second act after getting the chance to reboot his career with the Tampa Bay Buccanneers last season.
Mayfield was also named the NFL QB fans said they'd want to have a beer with more than any other in an incredibly scientific poll we conducted on the BroBible Instagram account last month, which undoubtedly stemmed from the Zyn aficiandao's reputation as a chill and likable dude who's pretty hard to root against.
In 2023, the QB and his wife launched the Baker & Emily Mayfield Foundation to support "programs, scholarships, and philanthropic opportunities" with a particular focus on causes in the Tampa Bay area, but earlier this year, they expanded their horizons a bit after being contacted by the mother of a player on the Space Coast Vipers, a high school football team located in Cocoa, Florida near Cape Canaveral.
The school reunited with former coach Jake Owens after going 1-8 last season, and he realized they were in desperate need of some new equipment after assessing the situation he inherited ahead of the 2024 campaign.
The Vipers ended up getting a $17,900 donation from the Mayfield's foundation that allowed them to purchase 70 new helmets along with some fresh sets of pads to ensure Space Coast would have what it needed to compete -- and it's safe to say they took full advantage.
The Vipers ended up finishing with a 10-3 record, and last Friday, they secured their first state title after topping the Bell High School Bulldogs in the SSAA 1A State Championship with a 21-14 victory.
Mayfield downplayed the impact the donation had while praising the team for being able to turn things around and win a championship, but it was pretty clear he was thrilled to see what unfolded based on his answer.