Todd Bowles Explains Baker Mayfield Injury, Gives Brief Status On Tristan Wirfs And Chris Godwin
August 2nd, 2025
Drops intel on NFL Network.
Yesterday, when Bucs coach Todd Bowles sat down with Tom Pelissero and Steve Smith of NFL Network, it was a league-owned property.
Now, as Joe types this here post, it’s not. In perhaps the saddest business transaction for NFL fans, NFL Network is now owned and operated by BSPN. Disturbing, galling and depressing.
After Friday practice, Bowles spilled a few beans on a few things.
*During his post-pratice news conference, Bowles waved off any concern about Baker Mayfield’s hand injury, claiming it was from a series of incidents and Bowles believed Mayfield simply needed a day off for soreness. Bowles added that he wasn’t worried about the injury. Well, in his NFL Network sitdown, Bowles said Mayfield injured his hand hitting a teammate’s shoulder pads in a follow-through passing the ball. Bowles did not elaborate.
* Bowles also said Chris Godwin is closer to suiting up for a game than Tristan Wirfs. But Bowles qualified his statement, correctly noting Wirfs is on crutches whereas Godwin is walking around on his own power.
The issue for Joe is twofold: Godwin was also walking around in March, yet he not only had to have a second procedure on his destroyed ankle, but Godwin, to Joe’s knowledge, has yet to work out on a side practice field with trainers. That’s what many players do when they are rehabbing an injury.
This doesn’t mean Godwin isn’t working out inside One Buc Palace. He’s just not been seen on the grass.
* Also, remember when Joe wrote (several times) how fantastic Mike Evans looks this summer? Well, Bowles told Smith that this training camp is the best, “freshest,” that he’s seen Evans since Bowles has been with the Bucs.
“We can’t put on puppeteer gloves and just mush ‘em along to the season.”#Bucs coach Todd Bowles told me and @SteveSmithSr89 that Baker Mayfield will be OK after banging up his throwing hand, and much more on Inside Training Camp Live @nflnetwork: pic.twitter.com/0YqjQtwOpq
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 1, 2025
August 2nd, 2025 at 12:58 am
Protect Baker at all costs
August 2nd, 2025 at 1:10 am
One thing I’ve learned about Bowles. It’s folly trying to glean any useful information from him when it comes to injury updates.
August 2nd, 2025 at 4:49 am
Baker will be fine and he will continue to play with that chip on his shoulder. Yes, Mike Evans is the guy that has made his QB look great for many years. Chris comes back and we have the dynamic duo on the field again!
August 2nd, 2025 at 6:10 am
Here we go. Again cmon lets start getting these injuries out the way.
August 2nd, 2025 at 6:17 am
Hope he did not crack one of those little hand bones.
August 2nd, 2025 at 9:36 am
It was Logan Hall’s shoulder pad.
August 2nd, 2025 at 9:39 am
I don’t believe a word Bowles says about player injuries. One day he’ll say a player tweaked something, or is alittle sore. The next day they’re under the knife, and are lost for the season. Look at all the time they waited to do Wirfs. It was supposed to be a little prosedure to clean up the knee. That was six weeks ago, and the dude is still on crutches. That doesn’t sound like a little thing to me. I have little faith in Todd’s injury updates, and even less in our medical, and training staff. Think they might be the worst in the NFL.
August 2nd, 2025 at 12:24 pm
Godwin probably just had to have pins removed. Neither Godwin nor Wirfs are guaranteed to even miss week 1. I think both will be very close to if not ready by then.
Godwin isn’t even using crutches and isn’t limping. Wirfs has got to be really close to losing his… both are tough guys that work hard and will crush physical therapy. Wirfs’s injury was much less severe than Godwin’s. No problem staying positive since signs point to good things.
August 2nd, 2025 at 12:57 pm
Stpetematt —- I think suggesting that Wirfs won’t miss week 1 is way, way off base. I think he is more likely to miss 4 to 6 games than to start on week 1.
The fact that they went in for a knee scope and found more damage and that it was an MCL — suggests that it was not just fraying where the ligament is stretched or partially torn.
Instead, it presents more as a more severe injury. This could be a Grade 3 tear, where the MCL is completely torn but no other injury.
A Grade 3 MCL tear, which is a complete rupture of the ligament, typically takes around 12 weeks to heal. And some additional time to get in football shape.
So, typical MCL surgeries:
Grade 1 — off crutches 1 to 2 weeks.
Grade 2 — off crutches 3 to 4 weeks.
Grade 3 — off crutches 5 to 6 weeks.
We should know pretty soon if he is on crutches for a full 6 weeks. Even if it is part of the day that he is on crutches.
But you are correct, that Wirfs injury is less severe. It’s just not so simple to think that he will likely be available week 1.
August 2nd, 2025 at 1:04 pm
Good interview… Seemed to me that Smith was kind of off in his own little world though…. odd….
Its pretty concerning to me that Wirfs is STILL using crutches – 3 1/2 weeks after surgery….
Many times with minor-ish arthroscopic knee procedures – the patient is walking without weight bearing assistance the next day or within a few days….
This injury was obviously more serious than a minor ‘clean up’ and Tristan’s availability for the first game (just 5 weeks away) would seem almost impossible at this point….
Hopefully he can be ready to go by the Jets or at worst Eagles game – but the need for crutches at this point just seems like a really bad sign to me…..
August 2nd, 2025 at 4:16 pm
Many times with minor-ish arthroscopic knee procedures – the patient is walking without weight bearing assistance the next day or within a few days….
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300+ POUNDS!!!