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Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield.
We will know exactly how much the Glazer family and Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht blame quarterback Baker Mayfield for the team’s struggles soon enough.
The Buccaneers are in the middle of a nightmarish, late season meltdown after losing consecutive home games to 2 of the NFL’s worst teams — and 2 NFC South rivals — with the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons.
Tampa Bay is now 7-7 and in second place in the NFC South, looking up at the Carolina Panthers as they travel to Charlotte in Week 15. It’s the first of 2 games between the Buccaneers and Panthers over the final month of the season.
No single player will have more influence on the games than Mayfield, who started the season off playing some of the best football of his career and looked like a legitimate NFL MVP candidate.
Down the stretch, Mayfield’s regression has been stunning as he’s seemed less than 100 percent. It could also end up costing him tens of millions.
Mayfield Extension Might Be Off the Table
Mayfield still has one season left on the 3-year, $100 million contract he signed before the 2024 season and all signs had previously pointed to him receiving a lucrative contract extension this offseason. That might not be the case anymore.
“I’m sure Baker Mayfield was thinking if he played well, he’s got one year left on his deal, they may tear that up and give him a long-term extension,” Buccaneers Reporter Rick Stroud said on the Sports Day Tampa Bay podcast on December 12. “I wouldn’t now. He’d be playing out the contract. Because I’m not sure he can win unless I surround hi witht he best players in the league. He makes plays, but then he makes bad plays. And he wears down.”
In the first 9 games of the season, Mayfield threw just 2 interceptions. He’s thrown 5 interceptions in the last 5 games.
“Baker Mayfield has been terrible for almost 2 months yet you heard nothing,” The Real Talk With MJ Podcast posted on X on December 11.
“To be clear, Baker Mayfield‘s numbers have dropped off significantly as well,” Fox Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman wrote on X on December 12. “His first 8/last 6 games, pre/post bye: TD/INT: 13/2 before, 9/5 after. Passer rating: 98.1 before, 79.5 after. Completion %: 64% before, 57% after. Yards/attempt: 7.1 before, 5.9 after.”
Mayfield Might Get Chance With New Head Coach
Even if Mayfield doesn’t get a contract extension this offseason, it doesn’t mean he’ll never get one from the Buccaneers. There’s definitely a scenario in which Mayfield balls out in 2026 and ends up with the lucrative deal he wants.
The key there might be that Mayfield gets to do it with a different head coach.
Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles had a meltdown for the ages following the loss to the Falcons, and his days in Tampa Bay could be numbered. Bowles is in his fourth season in Tampa Bay.
“These are dark times,” Barstool Sports’ Steven Cheah wrote on X on December 11. “I’ve been a Todd Bowles defender, but this is as bad as it’s been. Five losses in their last six games and tonight it was on the defense. Totally unacceptable … again.”
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame
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