Are Todd Bowles And Baker Mayfield Connected?
January 21st, 2026
“Baker, let’s ball out and shut these fools up.”
Now this was an interesting observation from a man living away from Tampa Bay on the near future of the Bucs.
Joe has been on record that the smartest move Todd Bowles made has Bucs head coach, maybe one of the smartest calls for any Bucs coach, was him hounding AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht to sign then-free agent Baker Mayfield.
Who knew Mayfield would become the heart and soul of the team? (Remember when the Bucs swore Kyle Trask was in a neck-and-neck battle with Mayfield for the starting job? Fun times!).
However, after such a disappointing 2025 for both Bowles and Mayfield, do they need each other to succeed to extend their Tampa Bay days beyond 2026? Saad Yousuf of The Athletic seems to think so.
Yousuf is of the mind that if Bowles or Mayfield has another bad season, (if Mayfield has a bad year, that pretty much guarantees Bowles will have a bad year), then both could be gone from Tampa Bay in 2027.
One thing that has snuck up on [the Bucs] is Baker Mayfield’s contract. Next season is the final year of Mayfield’s current deal. He’s worth it for his current price tag, but the question will be how much he’s looking for on his next deal, and how high the Bucs are willing to go, especially with uncertainty looming at head coach.
The implication here is Team Glazer may be looking at a full-blown reboot that if one or both have bad years. New coach and possibly a new quarterback, too.
“This Joe” has a hunch that’s why Mike McDaniel, in part, chose the Chargers over the Bucs. Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert aren’t going anywhere in 2027. So there’s more security there for McDaniel.
If Mayfield has a bad season, with all the expected quarterbacks in the 2027 draft, Joe suspects a potential Bucs housecleaning would include Mayfield.
Joe sure hopes Mayfield doesn’t leave that back door open.
January 21st, 2026 at 9:03 am
Wirth the right choice at OC and a healthy Baker,I believe he will bounce back. Bowles and his defense is another story.
January 21st, 2026 at 9:05 am
“Joe sure hopes Mayfield doesn’t leave that back door open.”
LOL!!!!!!!
January 21st, 2026 at 9:06 am
I like when a guy has to prove it to make the team. This will be a big year for Mayfield and Bowles. Hopefully this lights a fire under the team to stick by your teammates
January 21st, 2026 at 9:17 am
Yousuf took a page out of Capt. Obvious book, no kidding the 2 are connected, ya think? If the Bucs have a chance to draft a solid QB then take him if he’s there no matter where you pick from although we know they’re snapped up pretty fast.
January 21st, 2026 at 9:17 am
Nice article for Baker haters.
January 21st, 2026 at 9:20 am
Deebooo has a point on players in a contract year, they tend to ball out, not get distracted like guys who just got paid. If the Buc get all there players back on offense, that gives Baker a fighting chance to prove himself now that everyone has their doubts. Licht needs to get some quality depth on OL and the Bucs ought to do a house cleaning on trainers and conditioning coaches like they did with some of the assistant coaches. There were way too many injuries just to be coincidence or is there a chance that Bowles “Camp Cupcake” kind of sets players up to get injured? A back up qb is a must too. Baker will play hurt/crippled and this has been proven twice now; in Cleveland and in Tampa and it resulted in 2 lost seasons. Still cannot believe Bowles was retained but we are there as fans. The worst thing that can happen is another 8-9 year which is what Todd’s average record is. On the bright side, if Baker has a stellar year, he gets paid and the Bucs win the South with a 10-7 record, if it really comes apart; the Bucs go 3-14 and are suddenly in the Arch Manning sweepstakes maybe even winning it like the Raiders did in the Mendoza sweepstakes of tanking teams in 2025.
January 21st, 2026 at 9:21 am
I would not blame Baker leaving
MY FREAKING GAWD!
Bowels is here and
Liam runs
Mcdaniels runs
The franchise is a Hot Mess!
January 21st, 2026 at 9:22 am
A good indicator of how the Glazers view a reset will be free agency spending and contracts. Signing dollar-store free agents, or, higher-priced FA’s to one-year contracts? Tank time.
January 21st, 2026 at 9:24 am
There is still time Glazers!
Ronde as President of Football Operations!
This afternoon!
Watch the instant difference in EVERYTHING!
Let Ronde hire the General Manager
Hire the Head Coach
Hire the next offensive coordinator
Hire the next defensive coordinator
and watch the enthusiasm EXPLODE!
January 21st, 2026 at 9:28 am
They are not connected. I give Mayfield some blame.for last season, but he has had two strong seasons so Im ready to chalk it up to oline injuries, OC being vanilla and not using wr strengths. Everyone calling baker out dont remember what its like to be in QB purgatory. Be careful bc with all the crap with constant OC turnovers, if Mayfield has another good season, why choose us?
January 21st, 2026 at 9:30 am
Bowles, baker, Licht should all be connected.
January 21st, 2026 at 9:35 am
Would hate to lose Baker.
Seems like there’s been plenty of nuggets dropped over the past two years on the state of the team.
January 21st, 2026 at 9:39 am
Unfortunately for Baker his head coach is possibly the worst in the NFL.
January 21st, 2026 at 9:39 am
Of course Bowles and Baker are connected. They’re the unquestioned leaders of this team. Under their leadership how has this team performed when the season is on the line? I’ve been saying this since the Detroit playoff loss.
How is the decision-making from Bowles and Baker in the 4th qtr of games, especially in the playoffs, leading this team to a chip? Look at the 2nd Atl game. Bucs up 14 and Baker throws a pick and on the next drive he can’t complete a routine throw on 3rd down. Then there’s Bowles who’s defensive scheme gives up those 14 pts (3rd and 28) to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
These 2 are a match made in hell. They always find ways to lose, both of them, no matter what team they’re on at their respective positions. If the owners stick with these 2 it’s because they want the same results or worse, there’s no other way to spin it.
January 21st, 2026 at 9:40 am
This team spent years neglecting defensive talent for first round centers and receivers and it’s caught up to us in a big way. Especially when dang near every player on this high powered offense was on the bench instead of on the field last year. Bowles and Baker are still standing. And they don’t even care what any of us think. Darn right they’re connected. They might not be the best fighters but they’re ready for a fight. Grinders at heart, both of them. Opponents this year better pack their lunch. Maybe their dinner too. Patience is hard earned. Ain’t nothing worthwhile easy. Most of these commenters don’t know what that means. Never will. Bowles and Baker do. The Bucs story with Bowles and Baker is just getting started. I like Jason Licht too. I would respectfully ask that he acquire us some beasts on our defensive front seven this offseason. We’re gonna win a bunch of games in the coming years- a whole bunch of games.
January 21st, 2026 at 9:49 am
I would not be surprised if Baker joins forces with Sean McVay following Matt Stafford’s eventual retirement.
January 21st, 2026 at 9:56 am
The 🤡 will pull everyone down with him. This is the easiest bet ever. The Bucs might not win a game. 🤡 will hire a ground and pound OC who will make Arthur Smith look like Mike Martz. And his defense will make the 25 Bucs look like the 99 Bucs. At least special teams will be the strength of the team.
Baker is back on the scrap heap.
January 21st, 2026 at 9:57 am
Draft the big TE from Oregon & turn Baker & the offense loose….F the defense….beyond help…
January 21st, 2026 at 10:03 am
Let baker sign with a contender and finish his career. Draft arch manning in 2027, fire Bowles and Licht time to rebuild.
January 21st, 2026 at 10:13 am
So much hate in these comments. I bet yaw are the same ones saying that Arians was retread trash in January of 2020.
January 21st, 2026 at 10:22 am
I just love how this site back handily craps all over Mayfield.
January 21st, 2026 at 10:24 am
As I said weeks ago Baker has some cards to play. If the next OC doesn’t please him he could ask for a trade. That’s the worst case scenario for the front office and Baker surely knows that. The Bucs don’t have to trade him of course but a trade request would turn everything upside down. The big question is; Does Bakers contract have a no trade clause ? I’m thinking it wasn’t really considered at the time.
January 21st, 2026 at 10:24 am
Mayfield’s contract supposedly has a $51 million cap hit this year.
Wouldn’t surprise me if he gets extended during the off season.
January 21st, 2026 at 10:24 am
Always drama with the sports writers 🙄 So much doom and bloom lies ahead. The Glazers are good owners. Billionaires don’t fall out of trees. They are a proven commodity.
I’d bet on them over any of the naysayers.
January 21st, 2026 at 10:24 am
This is so stupid that we have to basically throw a year away for a sub .500 coach that we know for a fact won’t bring us a Super Bowl. What the hell is the point of football if you’re not going for it all?
January 21st, 2026 at 10:30 am
I hope he has a great year, then leaves to get away from the stinking so-called Buc fans on this site.
January 21st, 2026 at 10:31 am
Only 16 NFL teams have won Super Bowls. The Bucs are one of them. And some of teams haven’t won a Super Bowl in years. So give the Glazers and Bucs some slack over the ones who haven’t won in decades.
January 21st, 2026 at 10:33 am
Just read that they are replacing the pirate ship at ray Jay with a replica of the Titanic
January 21st, 2026 at 10:39 am
Personally, I think Baker was injured/ battered – largely due to the O-line being a fragmented mess. He was bailing us out over and over with crazy scrambles. I have always believed that QBs that run like that have a half life that goes away pretty quickly. They take too much damage. If the line is healthy and/or we have depth thats quality we’ll be fine. Not having a competent backup QB was absolutely irresponsible as well.
January 21st, 2026 at 10:43 am
Only 8 QBs threw for 26 or more tds this year. Baker was one of them and that’s with a myriad of injuries on offense. Its absurd what’s happening here. Anything to shift the blame away from Todd
January 21st, 2026 at 10:43 am
Baker and Bowles are trash losers.
Perfect combo for the clueless Glazers.
Looking forward to many years of epic failure.
But at least they will have plenty of money for their soccer team!
January 21st, 2026 at 10:52 am
Mark my words folks, Baker will be an LA ram in 2027