Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans held their breath after star quarterback Baker Mayfield was forced to exit their Sunday Night Football matchup against the Los Angeles Rams with a left shoulder injury. Fortunately, on Monday, the fanbase received some positive news regarding the official diagnosis of his injury.
On the final play of the first half of Sunday’s matchup, Mayfield went down in a significant amount of pain after heaving a Hail Mary pass towards the end zone. Veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater relieved Mayfield for the remainder of the game, which helped result in a 34-7 loss for Tampa Bay.
Some feared the worst when they saw Mayfield’s injury, given that he had previously undergone surgery to repair a torn labrum. However, this injury isn’t nearly as severe as his previous shoulder problem in 2022.
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According to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, Mayfield has been diagnosed with a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder. With no fracture or structural damage, Mayfield may very well be able to suit up for the team’s Week 13 game against the Arizona Cardinals.
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Mayfield’s impact on the Buccaneers’ success can not be understated. For much of the year, Mayfield was a dark-horse MVP contender due to both his individual and team success early in the season.
Unfortunately, three straight losses for the Buccaneers have largely taken him out of that conversation. Tampa Bay’s spot on top of the NFC South also sure seems to be in jeopardy after Sunday’s loss, as they now sit tied at 6-5 with the Carolina Panthers.
With that in mind, Mayfield’s availability for Week 13 will certainly be on the top of the minds of Buccaneers fans leading up to the crucial game.
Whether Mayfield suits up in Week 13 or not, this news is certainly quite promising given that he doesn’t seem to be at any kind of long-term risk. The Buccaneers’ two remaining games against the Panthers in Week 16 and Week 18 will likely decide the winner of the NFC South.
As long as Mayfield is healthy enough to go in those games, Tampa Bay should still have a great chance of reaching the postseason for a sixth consecutive season.
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