Baker Mayfield For MVP Should Be A Serious Discussion
September 20th, 2025
Leadership.
Earlier this week, Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians, on his weekly in-studio appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” made the case that Bucco Baker Mayfield should be in consideration for league MVP this season.
Most people sort of chuckled and shook their heads hearing that. It’s not that Bucco Baker isn’t playing lights out. But the Bucs have only played two games. As the sports radio icon of Chicago, the great Mike North, would say, “Take it EEE-zee!”
The Bucs are beat up physically. The offensive line, considered perhaps to be the strength of the team three weeks ago, is in shambles with njuries.
Tristan Wirfs is still rehabbing his surgically-repaired knee. Cody Mauch is done for the year. Luke Goedeke is on the injured reserve list and will miss at least the next four games. Even not-that Michael Jordan, who replaced Ben Bredeson at left guard, has a bum knee (status uncertain).
The only two starters left, center Graham Barton and left guard Bredeson, are playing out of position at left tackle and center, respectively.
The Bucs will host the Jets on Sunday with none of their projected starters on the offensive line at their normal positions. None! In Week 3! What a mess.
So this brings Joe back to Bucco Baker. As Sara Walsh of NFL Network reported last night, if Mayfield can guide the Bucs to a win Sunday and keep the Bucs on the winning track until the cavalry can return (Chris Godwin, Wirfs and Goedeke), that is seriously impressive football.
If Mayfield can keep the Bucs in first place in the division until the flood waters recede, hell yes, Mayfield ought to be considered a serious MVP candidate.
In TV time I had 3 minutes to talk Bucs injury issues. I needed about 45 to address the offensive line and this is just scraping the surface on the shuffling in Tampa. #nflnetwork #bucs pic.twitter.com/OScxa6PWnx
— Sara Walsh (@Sara_Walsh) September 20, 2025
September 20th, 2025 at 8:02 am
Not after 2 games. Any kind of injury could derail him like it did in 2021
September 20th, 2025 at 8:35 am
Agree with Marky Mark, it’s only 2 games. It’s fantastic though that BOTH games have included 4th qtr comebacks for the win, but we’ve got 15 more games to deal with. MVP is an end-of-the-year award; let’s just let it play out and let ‘Baker be Baker’.
September 20th, 2025 at 8:35 am
MVP conversations 2 weeks in are about as ridiculous a conversation one could have or promote.
September 20th, 2025 at 8:39 am
If Baker keeps lighting it up the eyes will look to him. Then tongues will follow. If he fades back into the woodwork there will be nothing worth talking about.
Mayfield does have a couple PR problems. Tampa (“Bay!”) isn’t a media capital. His team has big injury troubles. His numbers are pretty ordinary, especially compared to the Usual Suspects (though his TDs are good again this year and his turnovers are down).
Winning is the best perfume.
September 20th, 2025 at 8:40 am
Hahaha yeah, after just TWO games Lmao. Seriously. Talk to me at least a couple of weeks after the Bye.
September 20th, 2025 at 8:42 am
Like speaking ill of the dead, to soon.
September 20th, 2025 at 8:53 am
Two more games and he can be player of the month.
September 20th, 2025 at 9:02 am
Given a choice between MVP or holding the Lombardi trophy after the championship game, everyone knows what Baker would rather have!
September 20th, 2025 at 9:17 am
September 20th, 2025 at 9:17 am
Agree
September 20th, 2025 at 9:28 am
I know hindsight is 20/20, but Licht may want to rethink his resigning strategy. Maybe you make guys play out that 5 yr option before making guys top 5 in positional salary. In light of of AWJ, Dean, and Goedeke, seems like he might have been able to save a bit if coin on the pretense of injury history. That money could be used for some legit depth, or image if Licht actually played out of his own sandbox occasionally and was more active in the fa market (especially for an edge).
I sure hope he doesn’t throw homer $$ at our ILBs this coming offseason
September 20th, 2025 at 9:31 am
He’s my MVP,,, we all know about the line problems but sometimes it helps to read it:::
starting RT,LT,RG out , back up LG is questionable, Starting center moves to LT and Starting LG has moved to Center ::::::
Godwin out , Jmac out and EE questionable
Let’s give the jets a healthy dose of BI and RW,, run the ball 45 times and keep Baker in 1 piece
September 20th, 2025 at 9:41 am
Charlie Heck leads the NFL in run-blocking win percentage. Run the football. Rinse. Repeat.
Then win.
September 20th, 2025 at 9:42 am
No chuckling on this end. Agreed, a win on Sunday will definitely place Baker as a serious MVP candidate.
September 20th, 2025 at 9:46 am
Baker has got to stop running as if he’s a rb. Slide, get down, or run outta bound if you’ve gone beyond the first down marker, n quit allowing defenders to provoke you. If Baker continue to run to take on defenders head on, he’ll be on IR by game six, give or take.
September 20th, 2025 at 9:53 am
After 2 games?! 😅😂🤣
September 20th, 2025 at 10:00 am
Oh, and Ben Bredeson is tied for third in run blocking win percentage. Definitely run the football until starters are back and in correct positions. Especially on the left side of the line.
September 20th, 2025 at 10:09 am
Baker won’t win MVP unless the Bucs have a record of 12-5 or better. You can’t argue a player was the most valuable player in the league when the teams record is not amongst the best. As a huge Baker fan who argued for years with people who thought he was washed i would love nothing more for him to win the MVP but it’s completely pointless to talk about until we near the end of the season.
September 20th, 2025 at 10:18 am
Would he like to win an MVP? Sure he would-he’s a QB, a highly competitive one. Does he think about that? I’m sure he is only thinking about winning the next game. He sure has the team around him and every opportunity. If we win more games than anybody then the whole team will be getting well deserved accolades. And that’s the only way Baker would want it.
September 20th, 2025 at 10:47 am
i will give it at least a month. Call me Turkey Day.
September 20th, 2025 at 10:51 am
Bucco Baker? Really Joe? You’ve already anointed Arians as Bucco. Let’s leave it there. Bucco Baker is terrible! You can come up with something better than that.
September 20th, 2025 at 11:02 am
Hey Bob what about nickname “the ultimate BM”
September 20th, 2025 at 11:14 am
Bad Boy Baker, Bada$$ Baker, Shake n Bake, Baker Haymaker, The Closer, Bake the Ate (a bit gen alpha…for us older folk, Bake the Great), Comeback/Cardiac Kid… and for all of you who are afraid of the color orange, after this weekend, The Creamsicle Kid.
Well, that was fun and dumb. Bon appètit
September 20th, 2025 at 12:09 pm
Too early but not surprised by the sentiment.
Fan base and this blog base has come a long way in the last couple of years. It is fun seeing so many now aboard the BakeTrain. Baker needs to slide more and protect himself if he wants to make it to the NFC Championship game. Sticking with my 45TD; 70% comp%; and 12INT 2025 forecast. Those numbers will translate into a lot of W’s and a playoff slot.
September 20th, 2025 at 1:41 pm
You can’t know 2 weeks in of course. But, he sure is looking awful good so far. The Baker Bashers said he couldn’t orchestrate a late 4th quarter winning drive on a top notch defense. So Baker being Baker, he goes out and has not 1 but 2 last minute winning drives on 2 different teams both with top 5 defenses!! Something only a few quarterbacks have done. How funny it is. Some day the bashers are going to learn. I can’t wait to hear the next, yeah but he can’t do this scenario.
September 20th, 2025 at 1:48 pm
One game at a time. It’s a bit early to start gabbering about POTY. Bucs have to get through this latest obstacle of injuries. Go Bucs, 3-0!!
September 20th, 2025 at 3:18 pm
I’ll be just as impressed with Coach if we can win the next couple weeks. A beat up Oline with a rookie OC . This team has always played hard for Coach but if we can go 4-2, 3-3 these next 6 games I will be very impressed.
September 20th, 2025 at 3:30 pm
Got him at +1750…worth a few bucks for sure…gonna be tough with all the injuries and Josh Allen
September 20th, 2025 at 3:35 pm
That’s with 5 starters out.
September 20th, 2025 at 4:27 pm
So Bucs 4ever , I got him early at 30-1 ,, put $65 bucks on him and they will give me $85 right now to cash out , They are SCARED!!!!
Also got Bucs/Bills Super Bowl at 75-1
September 20th, 2025 at 6:42 pm
It’s Week Fuhkn 2. Just stop.