New Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield was on the field for minicamp on Tuesday, where the team was holding kicking tryouts that featured a familiar foe.
Former Georgia kicker Rodrigo Blankenship was on hand at the workout, kicking in front of the coaching staff in hopes of earning an invitation to training camp. Blankenship was instrumental to the Bulldogs’ 2018 Rose Bowl victory against Mayfield’s Oklahoma Sooners, and the Tampa quarterback still hasn’t forgotten about it.
“I still don’t like you!” Mayfield said to Blankenship while shaking his hand during the tryout.
When asked about the interaction after practice, Mayfield wouldn’t speak on it. Instead, he told reporter Kyle Burger, “I know you Kyle, trying to stir s--- up,” he said with a big smile on his face as he walked off.
The reporters couldn’t help but laugh at Mayfield’s response to Burger.
This is great: Kicker Rodrigo Blankenship is trying out for the #Bucs.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) June 13, 2023
Blankenship made a couple of clutch FGs for Georgia when they beat Mayfield in the 2018 Rose Bowl.
Mayfield upon seeing him today: "I still don't like you." 🤣
(📽️ @kyle_burger) pic.twitter.com/1D6SFkuEMh
Mayfield would certainly welcome Blankenship to the roster with open arms if the former All-SEC kicker returned to the form he displayed during his rookie year in the NFL in Indianapolis, where he converted on 43 of 45 extra point attempts and 32 of 37 field goal attempts.
Blankenship, 26, has been up-and-down since then, and is now looking to land in Tampa Bay to right the ship.
