by Will Chamblee | Sports Writer
The 2020-21 Baylor men’s basketball team did something that had never been accomplished before by the program: win a national championship. But what might be even more impressive is that two players, who have named themselves the “Mullet Bros,” have managed to popularize mullets on campus as well.
Thanks to the “Mullet Bros,” comprised of junior forward Matthew Mayer and sophomore guard Jackson Moffatt, mullets have become all the rage on campus. Students have eagerly embraced the odd but stylish hairstyle, shaving their own hair into mullets in celebration of Baylor’s national championship.
Moffatt was the first to get the mullet in the summer during the midst of the pandemic at the suggestion of his girlfriend.
“I got mine after the COVID quarantine,” Moffatt said. “I did it, and everybody loved it, and when everybody loved it, I was kind of like, ‘Hey Matt [Mayer], why don’t you do it too? We could be the Mullet Bros. This could be awesome.’”
It didn’t take much convincing for Mayer to also adopt the mullet, according to Moffatt. Moffatt said Mayer looked natural in the mullet and thus the “Mullet Bros” were born.
“He pulled back his hair behind his ears, and I was like, ‘Dude, you have great ears. Bro, you got to show those off,’” Moffatt said. “Once I said that, he was convinced.”
Mayer underwent the transformation, putting his own spin on the mullet by pairing facial hair and a mustache with it. The team’s reaction to the drastic hair change was mixed, ranging from excitement to confusion.
“There was no in-between,” Moffatt said. “They either loved it, or they were like ‘what are y’all doing?’”
Both Moffatt and Mayer tried to expand the “Mullet Bros,” seeking to convince other players on the team, like freshman forward Zach Loveday or senior guard Mark Patterson. The two even made an attempt to convince star guard Jared Butler and head coach Scott Drew.
“We tried to get Zach Loveday on board. He wouldn’t do it.” Mayer said. “We tried to get Mark Patterson on board. He wouldn’t do it. We even talked to Jared [Butler], but we didn’t think we had a chance there. Coach Drew, I think he’s a little too professional for that.”
The “Mullet Bros” may seem like a ridiculous or silly thing for the No. 1 men’s basketball team in America to partake in, especially considering the immense pressure the team was under during the NCAA Tournament in Indianapolis. But Mayer said the mullets brought the fun back into the game of basketball for him and Moffatt.
“It helps remind us that it’s just a game,” Mayer said. “It’s something fun to do. You don’t have to take yourself seriously if you have a mullet. You can’t. It brings the fun back into it because there are a lot of high-pressure situations.”
Obviously, it worked, as Baylor men’s basketball won its first-ever national title and reached the pinnacle of the sport. Mayer played an important role during the six-game tournament run. Averaging 18.5 minutes per game, Mayer paced 8.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game, making his presence felt on both sides of the court.
“It was crazy,” Moffatt said on winning the national championship. “Baylor University is the national champion in men’s basketball. That’s just insane to say. I think the coolest part for me was just getting to do it with all my best friends. I’ll talk to these guys for the rest of my life, so to get to be able to experience something like that with them, it was really special.”
It’s entirely possible that the “Mullet Bros” will be a one-season wonder. Mayer has entered the NBA Draft, and there is a good chance he has already played his final game for Baylor. While Moffatt will return for another year with the Bears, he may be the only player with a mullet next season. But one thing is for sure: the legacy of the “Mullet Bros” will be forever cemented in Baylor’s history as part of the only men’s basketball team to be crowned champions.
