Baker Mayfield’s Injuries
December 31st, 2025
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield.
Joe suspects at some point during the offseason, probably at the combine in late February, we will start hearing stories about how hurt Baker Mayfield has been this season.
Joe guesses by gutting it out, Mayfield has likely cost himself some Team Glazer loot. He is nowhere near the same quarterback he was before the bye when he was a legit MVP candidate.
Yesterday on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians said he thinks Mayfield is hurt worse than the team is letting on. Arians then noted how Mayfield’s picks are way up and he sees a cause and effect.
On her podcast, Mina Kimes of ESPN noted Mayfield was 1 of 7 on deep balls against the Dolphins. Yikes.
Yesterday, Mayfield was asked if his injuries have affected his throwing. Bucs fans watching the game noted how Mayfield was short on several of his throws.
Mayfield didn’t deny he’s injured but he pushed back a little bit at the notion injuries have messed up his accuracy.
“I wouldn’t even go with accuracy on that one,” Mayfield said. “[Ashtyn Davis] made a hell of a play late in the game, spinning the middle of the field, and came back out of it. Then the other one, trying to give ‘J-Mac’ (Jalen McMillan) a chance. I just need to put more mustard on it.
“Decision-making on that one was fine, it’s just giving him a better ball. That’s the ebbs and flows of the game. It’s a long season, it’s a very physical game, everybody has to deal with injuries.
“Obviously, we’ve had a ton of them and had to adjust, but that’s never an excuse. We are where we are, and [we] just have to take care of business.”
Mayfield is exactly right about Davis’ play on his pick. That was an Ed Reed kinda play. Once, Reed pulled that on Peyton Manning, which totally shocked Manning who thought he had pulled a fast one on Reed.
Bill Belichick had since said that Reed’s play on Manning for a pick was the greatest play he had seen from a safety. Davis’ was very similar. Sometimes you have to doff your cap to the other guy. They get paid, too.
But Joe has to believe Mayfield injuries have affected his throwing. You don’t go from MVP candidate to looking like you may need to be benched all in the span of a few weeks.
It wouldn’t shock Joe if Mayfield has to go under the knife for some sort of procedure with his throwing arm or shoulder.
December 31st, 2025 at 7:09 am
Did Todd not do his job at some point and bench him to let him healed?
Another HC blonder. It’s about team first.
December 31st, 2025 at 7:09 am
Most seem to be of o mind he somehow lost all the insane skill we’ve seen the last 2 years and change. NOOOOOOoo….couldn’t be he’s got some sort skeletal soft tissue damage
December 31st, 2025 at 7:12 am
Excuses, excuses and more excuses for Baker. And it’s not noble or valiant of him to mention how bad he’s playing, we all can see it. If Baker had helped win a few of these games down the stretch we would not be hearing about his “injuries.”
Every player at this time of the year is dealing with something so if it’s that bad then he shouldn’t be on the field. And thanks to Bowles great personnel decision making skills we have a backup that worse than Baker.
The way Baker is playing now is how he played in the Lions playoff game. 4th qtr, 2nd down pick, and game over. Same thing year after year with Baker and Bowles.
He’s running out of excuses and time. He’s a 30+ inaccurate, injury prone QB who cant win big games and his play is getting worse.
Whos going to come here and want to coach that?
December 31st, 2025 at 7:14 am
starting to personally feel like the season’s a wash…
maybe just throw in the towel…
and let’s run the course into a new era
December 31st, 2025 at 7:17 am
At least he is somewhat cheap. You get what you pay for. I would like to see the new HC draft the QB out of Bama.
December 31st, 2025 at 7:18 am
Season was over after the bye.
7-10 is coming
December 31st, 2025 at 7:21 am
He had 1 great season surrounded by mediocre to bad seasons, stop acting like he’s some Josh Allen level player and it’s a lot easier to realize he’s not ever winning an MVP nor taking us to a Super Bowl, he’s a fun story, and thankfully we didn’t pay him off that 1 season
December 31st, 2025 at 7:23 am
It’s all BS! Tell baker we will be starting Bazelak, and he will be healed, such a wuss….he is who he is, a terrible QB, stop with the excuses for him….where else in the NFL, could baker start????? Goodbye Licht,Bowels and baker……..
December 31st, 2025 at 7:25 am
We need Todd Monken. The OC and QB coach from Ravens. Used to be our OC. We need a no nonsense HC. He seemed to be that way when he was here. And let him draft a future QB. Meantime he can backup a healthy Baker.
December 31st, 2025 at 7:30 am
Misspelling blunder is the kind of excellence I expect from commenters on jbf, truly all pro level comment.
December 31st, 2025 at 7:30 am
Do injuries force you to hold on to the ball too long? Do they force a sack instead of throwing it away.
It was pointed out to me, yet again, by the Baker butt boys that Stafford threw three picks against Atlanta and he too choked under pressure with his best receiver out.
Earlier, the butt boys claimed Baker’s failures were due to injuries to Mike, Godwin and McMillan.
Well, they’re all back and we’re still losing. Adding Egbuka to the aforementioned would make most all NFL QBs dying for the chance to throw their way.
So, what’s the excuse this week?
Oh yeah, I forgot. It’s “secret” injuries.
December 31st, 2025 at 7:35 am
I want Baker to succeed. Despite my critiques, I want this team to win every week. When Baker plays well we usually win.
To have any chance this week, Baker will need to retrieve some of that early season magic.
Lord knows, he’s due!
December 31st, 2025 at 7:37 am
If he’s unjured to the point that it affects the team’s chances of winning ball games he should be on the bench.
That is a coaches decision. Ultimately it’s not up to the player.
Coaches are responsible for putting the best players they have available on the field.
Ya’ll see where I’m going with this?
December 31st, 2025 at 7:41 am
@BEE
WELL SAID!!!!!
stop searching for excuses joe!!!…baker is trash….he’s had 4th quarter turnovers ever since he’s arrived in tampa…nothing has changed since he throw picks vs DET in the playoffs
im willing to bet reddick is also, ” hurt worse than the team is letting on.” which has effect his play lol….
GO BUCS!!!!
December 31st, 2025 at 7:46 am
The Bucs put themselves in a pickle. With no legitimate backup for Baker, They
have an impossible choice each week. They are a victim of their decision to keep Bridgewater as backup.
They also screwed the pooch at ILB. With SVD not playing up to expectations and no young and upcoming replacements for either LVD or SVD we have to look at options beyond the draft at both LB and edge.
December 31st, 2025 at 7:46 am
I taught for a year in Tirana, Albania. Great people.
Shout out to all the Albanians in the 727.
In Albania, they say “if you give them your hand, they take your arm!”
Todd Bowles has been too kind and too loyal to his parasitic players.
They have stolen money while loafing and playing without fire or passion.
His players have taken advantage of his kindness and loyalty.
His players quit on him because he has been too lenient and loyal.
It’s human nature. Like teenage students. They take advantage of kindness.
Bowles is a very good man. His defense?
They have betrayed him and God almighty.
Raheem tried to be “friends” with his players.
They quit on him also.
Being a “nice” NFL coach doesn’t work.
I feel bad for Todd. He treated his players like men. Like human beings.
And they stabbed him in the back for it!
December 31st, 2025 at 7:50 am
Baker is more committed to winning than anyone out there. Including the coaches. Lots of fans Baker for the lost games, but routs are incorrectly run, no pass protection, lack of a running game, special teams, team injuries, etc. give Baker a break. He isn’t the problem.
December 31st, 2025 at 7:51 am
I just don’t want him to get surgery right before regular season like Wirfs did. If he needs a shoulder or knee scope go ahead and get it over with.
December 31st, 2025 at 7:51 am
Fat fingers.
December 31st, 2025 at 7:52 am
Isn’t that why we brought Teddy in? He could win us some games if Baker got hurt? What a joke. Licht, and Bowles are reaping what they sewed. The 49ers didn’t have their starting QB 4 games this year. They’re playing for the #1 seed. Excuses, excuses.
December 31st, 2025 at 8:02 am
we’ll find out in the offseason that Braswell was “hurt” too lol….
GO BUCS!!!
December 31st, 2025 at 8:04 am
bake prolly needed to sit for 4-5 weeks for whatever reason…and for whatever reason we had no real back up qb…like a mike white or something…
the glazers will have to ask why was there no decent back up…and why wasn’t trasky given a shot after multiple years of being a brady sponge…
this season was like an airplane nosediving into the ocean…with little to no explanations…
a sad display to watch as a lifelong old school bucs fan…even garo yepremian is rolling over in his grave on sunday afternoons…
also baker stopped cutting his hair the past 2 months…anything to that…?
also bowls has been appearing at recent presser in no buccaneers gear or merchandise really…anything to that…?
December 31st, 2025 at 8:06 am
Todd Bowles was coaching injured too
December 31st, 2025 at 8:09 am
bucky’s an intense little cat…i think he ain’t thrilled with the oline…and personally i think bucky sees big tristan as a quitter for stubbing his toe on a coffee table at home while grabbing a protein drink from the fridge…
can you picture jim mora…switching the word playoffs with a toe…
haha
“a toe…!…a toe…!…a freakin’ toe….!”
December 31st, 2025 at 8:10 am
however, bucky came pretty close to getting slammed wwe style on the sidelines by big tristan last sunday…hehe
December 31st, 2025 at 8:11 am
Baker Mayfield is NOT the problem. He just isn’t. Some untimely interceptions? Absolutely. Is he injured? Maybe. And kudos to Baker if he is trying to play through the injuries. But Baker is NOT the problem. Our overrated Head Coach is also our overrated Defensive Coordinator. A stop on 3rd and 28? Nope. A stop on 4th and 14? Nope. Too bad the HC will not fire the DC!
December 31st, 2025 at 8:15 am
ya know…with everything that’s happened this year…
it would have been really really cool if big tristan picked bucky up over his head like a freakin tree trunk…
and slammed him down into the grass…
and bucky lay there for a minute or so holding the small of his back like rick steamboat used to do…
like how cool and mayhem filled would that have been…?
also otton in the mix playing the referee 🙂
December 31st, 2025 at 8:17 am
No worry Bowzo has Blooper standing by.
December 31st, 2025 at 8:38 am
CLOSE THE BAKERY!
December 31st, 2025 at 8:45 am
please give us hope by firing todd/ if todd stays we have no hope
December 31st, 2025 at 8:52 am
When our regular mid-season slump came, then continued, it seemed eerily similar to me like how Baker was playing for the Browns while he was injured.
December 31st, 2025 at 8:53 am
Joe never saw “trash” play ball the way Mayfield did before the bye. But yeah, since the bye, Joe wouldn’t be in a rush to cut a check until he pulls himself out of his rut.
Joe’s idea of “trash” is Stewart McClown.
December 31st, 2025 at 8:53 am
Baker is very O-Coordinator dependent. Canales was a pretty decent O, Liam Coen was a next level O, and it shows up with Baker. Not so good at the end of tenure in Cleveland, walks into the whatever that was in Carolina, goes to the Rams and looks pretty decent again. Good O-Coordinators figure out how to get the best out of the QB. Being a shorter guy and getting pressure right up the middle because you have practice squad guys at both guard spots is aa recipe for disaster. He’s likely hurt too. Don’t want to give up yet. Of all the QBs not named Brady we’ve had here, he’s likely the most competitive fighter we’ve had.
December 31st, 2025 at 8:55 am
Joe thinks there is a lot of truth to this. Give Mayfield a good o-coordinator, he will do fine.
Then again, he was doing fine the first six weeks of the season. Something happened.
December 31st, 2025 at 9:09 am
It’s become obvious that Mayfield is playing hurt and his performance has hurt the Bucs. The same thing happened when he played for the Cleveland Browns.
The definition of stupidity is to repeat past performance and expect different results.
The Bucs have a back up quarterback who’s healthy. He’s a veteran and proven very capable.
The stupidity is on Tood Bowles for not recognizing reality. His decision to play Mayfield destroyed player morale.
That shows poor leadership by Todd Bowles and THE TEAM HAS QUIT ON HIM!!!
Will the Glazers show leadership and RIGHT THE ☠️ SHIP!!! If not the Bucs will fall back to the Bucs of old.
December 31st, 2025 at 9:12 am
If there’s any single player responsible for this crap show
It’s Baker Mayfield
If he’s hurt, sit him, he looks like a deer facing headlights, he’s lost
He’s playing afraid, he shouldn’t even be on the field
The worst mistake the Bucs made was was waiving Kyle Trask
Bowles and Licht created this stench, now lie in it
December 31st, 2025 at 9:15 am
My first year in High School we had a really bad HC who was also the OC. And we only won 2 games.
The next year, we had a new coach who also called plays and had won league championships elsewhere. We won every game the next two years.
Good OC will make a difference. Every time.
December 31st, 2025 at 9:19 am
And looking back, we should have kept Trask on the practice squad. Even if you have Bridgewater as QB2.
It gives you another option that knows the playbook well.
December 31st, 2025 at 9:22 am
If he had half decent play from the QB,
We would be sitting at 10- 6 right now, without a doubt
It’s Todd Bowles fault for sticking with Mayfield
It’s Jason Licht fault for waiving our backup QB, with no better option
December 31st, 2025 at 9:25 am
When I think of Trask I keep thinking of Kurt Warner.
You never know….