Graham Barton On Baker Mayfield Injury
November 24th, 2025
Talks Baker Mayfield.
Graham Barton is a stand-up dude. Says what he thinks. But you could tell his spirit was broken a little worse from Sunday’s loss to the Rams than in other losses.
Barton saw his quarterback, the franchise quarterback, go down. Baker Mayfield is tight with his offensive lineman and it was clear Barton was hurt by the situation.
“It sucks,” Graham said after searching for words to discuss Mayfield’s injury and its impact. “He’s the heartbeat of the team. There’s no sugarcoating that.”
Still, Barton said, that doesn’t mean the Bucs had to curl up in a fetal position and start bawling.
“You still have to play the game,” Barton said.”You can’t just lay down and quit. It sucked to watch that happen at the end of the half, but you have to keep playing.”
Naturally, every player Joe spoke to was maybe more shook by Mayfield’s injury than the blowout loss, probably because they know very well what losing Mayfield would mean.
Sure they have confidence in Teddy Bridgewater. But he’s not Mayfield.
Mayfield made two strong runs for first downs in the touchdown drive that ended in a throw to Tez Johnson. Does Bridgewater make those plays? Probably not.
Joe doesn’t think it is over the top to suggest if Mayfield misses a chunk of games, the Bucs aren’t going to the playoffs. This team needs Mayfield to get them over the hump to December when the offensive cavalry may arrive.
November 24th, 2025 at 7:04 am
“You have to keep playing”.
When did they start playing?
November 24th, 2025 at 7:07 am
We can forget about the playoffs. I like Todd Bowles the HC. I don’t like Bowles the DC. It’s apparent his defense is useless against all but absolute green horn qb’s that can be fooled by unexpected blitz packages. If Mayfield were 100% I’d be worried. Bowles defense is the weak point. Not Mayfield’s injury.
November 24th, 2025 at 7:10 am
You can’t quit? The defense already has.
November 24th, 2025 at 7:13 am
I’d start Bazelsk if Baker is out. At least he has a little mobility where as Teddy has none. Yes, I said it…Bazelak.
November 24th, 2025 at 7:14 am
1-8 in prime time, 1-3 playoffs sub.500 coach. Does anything about those numbers indicate a winner? Great, your best buds with BA.
November 24th, 2025 at 7:17 am
Bucs are not going to the playoffs even if Baker misses 0 games. Team has no want to other than a couple of guys.
November 24th, 2025 at 7:21 am
While JL deserves praise for finding gems, tonight exposed the delta, the huge Atlantic Ocean sized difference between the TALENT, speed, and youth of the Rams vs Tampa. It is not close. I have said this loudly forever, people swear up and down how “talented” we are. Are we! Are we talented? Are we coached well. It’s time for everyone from the team to even the fans to look themselves in the mirror. And while I absolutely love Baker – Bryce Young is playing better than him, and I dare anyone to name more than 5 players on that team so they’re better coached. Changes absolutely need to be made, we need to be more FORWARD THINKING. All of you screaming for the team to give Mike Evans all the money in the world after this yr are absolute morons. They are in zero position to give a 33 yr old, 30 mil or whatever who never plays a full season. That is a luxury. They need to get younger, they need better depth across both lines, they need to move away from that BS 3-4, they need a whole new linebacker room and oh btw the Bucs have BY FAR the worst TE room in the league
November 24th, 2025 at 7:29 am
Oh and btw, while Benjamin Morrison has been a disappointment – perhaps some of you should feast your eyes on the veteran with the big contract who the Rams danced on, pantsed, and laughed at all night. Mr. Zyon McCollum. Whoooo boy, the alleged best athlete on the team sure gets cooked, and filet’d constantly. Atleast Morrison has a reasonable excuse. And don’t look now vita vea is 30. The time is now to start planning for the future. Desperately holding on to guys like we have another run in us is delusional. We do not. And we got our answer last night
November 24th, 2025 at 7:33 am
I think that this team has given up for the season. People are dreaming about the playoffs. ME & LC should retire. Godwin is probably done due to the ankle injury. Time catches up with everybody. It is time to go with younger players. The whole coaching staff should go along with the backup quarterback. I think that Trask would have been a better choice, than what we have.
November 24th, 2025 at 7:34 am
The Bucs have gotten worse every week for the past month or more, even while getting healthier. Maybe Baker missing a game can kickstart some soul searching or something.
November 24th, 2025 at 7:34 am
Of the face, You are 100% correct
November 24th, 2025 at 7:35 am
Gofortheface sorry had your name wrong
November 24th, 2025 at 7:40 am
With our slide and the Panthers upcoming schedule, ATL has to feel they are back in the discussion. Somebody is gonna win this division at 8-9. Good times man.
November 24th, 2025 at 7:41 am
Season is over. Start the draft talk and articles. Start figuring out who is staying and who is going cause this team is cooked.
November 24th, 2025 at 7:47 am
Graham Barton.
That guy has been dragged from pillar to post. His head must be spinning at this point. Hey ,remember when the Bucs announced their starting line up for the offensive line to begin the season.
What a hoot that was.
November 24th, 2025 at 7:50 am
“Sure they have confidence in Teddy Bridgewater.”
——
I think you may have assumed too much on that one, Joe.
November 24th, 2025 at 7:53 am
I turned off and went sleep when Baker was sacked on 3rd down after the Otton strip TD .
To make matters worse the Bucs moved from the 19th draft pick to the
20th
Bye bye
Cry cry
November 24th, 2025 at 7:53 am
The disappearance of this team is even worse than Gruden’s last season.
The coaches will get a pass because of the injuries. All that Licht and the owners will talk about was how good they were before the injuries. They will promise to improve the team and that next year will be better.
And the optimistic side of me will probably buy into it.
But deep down, I saw the quitters. I have been saying McCollum sucks since forever. He’s a fraud.
And I’m laying this out there, too. David is done. He is a liability on the field. But that is because he is old.
The other liabilities, Diaby, Dennis, Morrison, Hall, and Jordan, Feeney, and the lousiest TE in team history, Otten, all need to be shown the door.
Problem is there is no way to replace 10-15 players in one year.
The character first approach is not wrong. But they need guys with an attitude. Guys who would not just look sad after last night. Where is Warren Sapp? Where is John Lynch? Where is Angry Red?
These players on this roster are soft. Losers. No pride.
The best for the rest of this season? .500 last six games. 9-8. Limp into playoffs and embarrass us s all further in the first playoff game.
The worst? 1-5. And that is a serious possibility.
Remember the MVP talk? Remember the week they were ranked first in Power Rankings? Remember the hype?
None of it was real.
November 24th, 2025 at 7:54 am
Trask was our good luck charm. While he was backup, our starting QBs never missed a start, even though one was older than dirt, and the other runs around like an over caffinated squirrel. We tossed our good luck charm to the curb and replaced him with a guy who has the arm strength of Molly Shannon. He couldn’t score a single point against a team playing prevent the entire 2nd half. Trask is still on Atlanta’s practice squad. Maybe it’s time to give him a try. He couldn’t be any worse.
November 24th, 2025 at 7:59 am
I am not looking forward to anything but Bowles and his entire staff being run out of here. I didn’t watch the game because I knew what was coming. The last few weeks were bad enough. But the open thread had to set a record of some kind. The team is finished. Bucs will hand the division to Carolina or Maybe even Atlanta.
November 24th, 2025 at 8:01 am
I like Baker, but he’s been making us news because he’s been playing hurt and been wanting to do that macho thing and stay in the game. He hasn’t been performing up to par.
November 24th, 2025 at 8:01 am
What’s sad is we aren’t even the most injured team so we can’t even really claim that. I can’t find anyone who has counted the number of starters who have missed games though so maybe we have missed the most starters.
November 24th, 2025 at 8:01 am
Don’t forget about that stunning performance by Teddy Toothache in the preseason. That performance was (allegedly ) enough for Todd Bowles to make his decision on securing his back up QB for the season. I mean what could go wrong with that thinking? That’s the way all the good coaches do it.
November 24th, 2025 at 8:03 am
Smoke show!!! Men playing against boys!
November 24th, 2025 at 8:09 am
fire Bowles at season end. Jason needs to go also. I would take Gruden before Bowles any day of the week.
November 24th, 2025 at 8:10 am
Barton is pathetic so is Feeney.
November 24th, 2025 at 8:12 am
Tuesday the Bucs need to workout Baile Zappe and Brett Rypian who are on other teams practice squads. elevate Greene as a reciever but have him take reps,as the Scout QB so he can be the emergency third QB. Greene can do special teams,also.
November 24th, 2025 at 8:23 am
hopefully bowles is just as good at picking an DC as he is an OC…
bringing in a 43 DC next year is the only way bowles survives…
GO BUCS!!!!
November 24th, 2025 at 8:25 am
Gruden and Dungy were fired for less.
If Bowles gets a pass blaming injuries, that’s a load. His defense is relatively healthy and it’s a complete dumpster fire.
November 24th, 2025 at 8:27 am
The name Trask comes up. Sheesh – here we go again..
November 24th, 2025 at 8:45 am
F this garbage team and garbage coaches.
November 24th, 2025 at 8:47 am
Jcscycles, the Trask name comes up because we need another QB body since Mayfield is hurt.
Trask knows the offense and is sitting on Falcons practice squad….
Also a lot of us think he may be a better choice than the loopy hospital balls that Bridgewater throws.
At least there’s gonna be some excuses for the lack of offensive performance given what the offense has gone thru with the crazy amount of injuries…
On defense, how do you even justify keeping Bowles now. His scheme is garbage and there are major gaps in it. Also it seems like players on D may have checked on.
What a wasted extension paid for Zyon McCollom. The minute he signed it, his effort and skill just fizzled.
November 24th, 2025 at 8:50 am
ok here i go again trask btter then bridgewater hs ciach
November 24th, 2025 at 8:51 am
I did not know but Bridgeovertroubledwaters cant coach HS football because he was giving players cash and gifts.
November 24th, 2025 at 8:52 am
Agreed on trask but also try out Bailey Zappe and Brett Rypian
November 24th, 2025 at 9:00 am
Why did those clowns even bother to get out of bed?
November 24th, 2025 at 9:03 am
You can bet if the Doctors let him come back, and it isn’t worse than a dislocated shoulder. Love played with one last week… had to hand the ball off with his off hand and couldn’t make those 50 yard throws but had enough good arm to throw darts when needed. And he got his similarly by trying to make a big boy run for a first down. Baker will be back as long as the Drs. clear him. He won’t be able to make those big throws where he has to really turn that left shoulder. But will be able to do the job functionally. Most likely, the Defense will have to step up to compensate a bit.
November 24th, 2025 at 9:13 am
This team has taken so many hits.
Wonder what a healthier season may have evolved into
November 24th, 2025 at 9:19 am
Bring back Chucky
November 24th, 2025 at 9:29 am
First assess Baker’s injury. Then go from there.
But I would expect the “Bring back Trask” voices to get louder if Baker has to sit out for any time.
I like Kyle – but he isn’t the answer. No matter how much you want him to be…
November 24th, 2025 at 9:33 am
Bruce Arians still on the payroll. He should help reorganize the coaching staff. We were out coached on both side of the ball. They picked on Zyon and David knowing they would start and will have time to throw. We would do the same if Mike was playing and covered by Zyon.
November 24th, 2025 at 10:02 am
Confidence? Teddy cant do anything, especially run, dude is slow. Seasons over and we’re in rebuild mode. And Todd has to go.
November 24th, 2025 at 10:02 am
Bridgewater should be outta the league. Was never good enough when he was in his prime let alone now
November 24th, 2025 at 10:05 am
please stop assuming we aare going to the playoffs, we are not apt to win any game here on out.
November 24th, 2025 at 10:17 am
Oh they better not even talk to Trask. He got out. Let him be. He found someone willing to give him a shot. Im a bucs fan, and I am a trask fan. The pit their flag in the ground and made their stance. Not just on Trask, but on BA, and Toliet Bowl. All the non FA signings and we dont need a trade deadline help. Licht, Toliet Bowl, and the Glazers to to suffer like us fans.
November 24th, 2025 at 10:25 am
You guys can say what you want but we are still prohibitive favorites to win division and get a home win in playoffs ,, Cannons put your money where your mouth is cause you can make a ton of money if you play Carolina for the division (course wait till tomorrow to make even more)
Guys, Rams are the best team in the league right now ,, we are not in that class ,, lucky for us we won’t have to play them again until NFC championship 🙂
November 24th, 2025 at 10:42 am
I watch lavonte watch a tight end catch and move the ball down field it was very uncharacteristic and lavonte gets beat on passing downs everytime he is in coverage kind of sad to watch from a buy who has made his career out of hustle plays..he is just playing the hustle doesn’t exist anymore
November 24th, 2025 at 11:12 am
With Bucky coming back for this Sunday’s game against Arizona, and with Teddy at QB, the Bucs need to RUN, RUN, RUN the ball. Cardinals sport the #18 Run Defense, and we need to capitalize on that. We also need to max out the TOP so that our defense never leaves the bench.
Bucs’ OLine did quite I thought on the opening drive, UNTIL Grizz got greedy and moved away from the run in favor of the pass. Then the sh1t hit the fan & the drive stalled after 2 incompletions. For heavens sake, all he had to do was STICK WITH WHAT WAS WORKING.
Instead Grizz had Baker throw 6 times in the 1st qtr for a TOTAL of 5 yards on the 3 completions. Two others we deep … Incomplete … plus the interception (not Baker’s fault; the pass was on target). Bucs could’ve easily ended that 1st qtr tied 7-7 with the Rams with better play-calling, instead of being behind 14-0 when the qtr ended.
November 24th, 2025 at 11:20 am
@vinny – Favorites? BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA – some of you are truly delusional.
Jason Licht is a fraud. Todd is a career loser. Both are career losers. Brady would drag anyone to the SB. SF declined so we got him. Jason just happened to be here. The guy sucked before Brady and he sucks now.
FIRE JASON LICHT THE LOSER!!!!
November 24th, 2025 at 11:32 am
The key issue we have is 0 patch catchers and were missing Bucky on offense.
No Mike
No Jmac
No Godwin (hes a shell of himself def wasted money on that contract in hind sight)
Cade Otton should be straight up cut right now. Not benched. Not demoted to the PS. CUT. Hes not even a top 32 TE on PFF and hes started all year (this also accounts for blocking). At least Payne can block.
We are missing Bucky, who is literally 2x as good as any of our RBs and consistently made our Oline look better than they are when healthy. Also a much better pass catching option than our current backs.
Teddy would be fine, but with a run game that cannot pick up chunk yardage and noone to throw the ball to what the hell were we expecting?
November 24th, 2025 at 11:36 am
Bridgewater is total garbage. Jason Licht is out to lunch and turned back into a frog after Brady kissed him.
Dude sucks out loud.
November 24th, 2025 at 12:15 pm
Sure they have confidence in Teddy Bridgewater.
———–
I find that impossible to believe.
I know they have to say that, and act that way, but everyone knows Teddy was washed up years ago, and he wasn’t even good to start with.
Trask is on the Falcons practice squad, so the Bucs can sign him directly to the active roster. They won’t, of course, since for some reason Bowles hates him – but if Baker is out more than 24-hours, if the team wants to win, there’s no one other than Bowles that thinks Bridgewater is the answer.
Seriously, what did Trask do to Bowles? Did he hit on his daughter or something? I really am curious what the personal animosity is about.
November 24th, 2025 at 1:05 pm
If Matthew Stanford played behind the Bucs line last night and had to throw to that collection of Bucs receivers, he would have been mauled like Baker was. Even Wirfs was getting beat last night.
November 24th, 2025 at 4:50 pm
I don’t think Todd Bowles will be fired, but I do believe the owners and Jason Light force him to give up DC and Light brings in some on to take over defense. I can go either way with the OC, just not sure if we’ve seen his best or if he is too far over his head as OC.
November 24th, 2025 at 4:51 pm
Licht–stupid autocorrect
November 24th, 2025 at 6:12 pm
Bridgewater is completely trash…
Sewage water in the form of a human being
November 24th, 2025 at 9:39 pm
The players know exactly what Mayfield means to this team. Without him they have hardly no chance of winning.