“Sometimes It Just Comes Down To Players,” Says Baker Mayfield
February 15th, 2026
Why did the Bucs offense crash in the second half of last season?
It got so bad, fall guy offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard was fired last month.
Baker Mayfield hasn’t shared a ton of specifics about the decline of the offense. Ten days ago during a Super Bowl promotional chat with Fansided and Special Olympics, Mayfield was asked about what must the Bucs improve to reach next year’s Super Bowl.
Mayfield said he would only speak on the offense, and he referenced injuries but noted they are no excuse and the Bucs need more players to step up effectively.
And it smelled like he wants a few smarter teammates, and he may not blame much on Grizzard.
“Being able to execute consistently throughout the season, when you do one thing, put it in your memory bank and be able to pull it out if need be. Sometimes it just comes down to players, not Xs and Os,” Mayfield said.
As for new Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, who coached Mayfield briefly in 2022, Mayfield said he’s fired up to share the man he knows.
“I’m excited for my teammates to get to be around him, just the fire he brings,” Mayfield said of Robinson. “He comes off as cool, calm and collected. And he is even-keeled, but he’s got a fire within that I can relate to. So, I’m excited for the guys to get to know him, just that he understands how to put us in the best position possible to have success on the field.”
February 15th, 2026 at 3:19 pm
In other words the roster did not have sufficient quality depth on the offensive line to withstand the injuries-Blame goes on Licht.
February 15th, 2026 at 3:30 pm
Or that grizzard didn’t have the experience to adjust to something he had on the roster as all coaches have to do because all teams have injuries and need to adjust.
February 15th, 2026 at 3:38 pm
Move Anthony Nelson inside.
February 15th, 2026 at 3:40 pm
I’m sticking to my Draft guns:
1. Edge
2. OG
3. Edge
4. ILB
5-7 BPA
February 15th, 2026 at 3:41 pm
You don’t usually have 2 backup guards that are NFL starter quality. Players that are starter quality are typically starters somewhere. Losing both guards for the season was a season-ending bomb. It devastated our offense.
February 15th, 2026 at 3:56 pm
So – question for Baker –
Why did you personally suck so hard the last 10 games? You had trouble hitting a hippopotamus in the arse with a bass fiddle.
February 15th, 2026 at 4:02 pm
Stpetematt Says:
You don’t usually have 2 backup guards that are NFL starter quality. Players that are starter quality are typically starters somewhere. Losing both guards for the season was a season-ending bomb. It devastated our offense.
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^^^^^ Yeah, all the injuries along the o-line were devastating.
NO team has backups on every single position that are starter quality.
And there is no GM in the NFL who can predict ahead of time which positions on the team need more depth than others.
February 15th, 2026 at 4:12 pm
It wasn’t only the guards. The amount of fluctuation on that line last year was insane.
But…Luke is injury prone. So you have to plan for that and I’m hoping that chewks getting snaps last season accelerates his development and he becomes an elite swing tackle.
We have to get a guy in FA that can start at center and guard as a legit depth piece.
Other than a starting TE and maybe a vet running back, exactly what does baker think is going to change on offense? It’s going to be the same group for the most part.
February 15th, 2026 at 4:30 pm
Health will change. Hopefully for the much better. It can’t get much worse, can it?
We lack starter quality personnel in about 3-4 positions on defense and yes we need a backup interior O-lineman in like the 4th round. I’d go edge-ILB-ILB-guard in the draft. Unless there’s an amazing ILB at 15. Or better yet trade down and then trade down your 2 picks in the 2nd to have 1 first round pick, 2 second rounders, and 3 third rounders. We often do really well in the 3rd and 4th round so we could get a heckuva haul doing something like that…
February 15th, 2026 at 4:40 pm
So-answer for Aqualung- you can’t risk throwing the ball for over 5 yards when your 2 guards are turnstiles in pass protection and you have 2 DT’s in your lap on every play in about 1.5 seconds after the snap. Compare how often there were people in the backfield when we had Bredeson and Mauch in there vs. when we didn’t. It was painfully obvious to me.
February 15th, 2026 at 4:45 pm
It’s almost like Tampa doesn’t scout the entire football landscape. Each year or 2, it’s pretty much redundant
Kicker/punter/ special teamer
Mid major player
Small school OL
Someone from Auburn
Someone from Washington
Someone from LSU
At least 2 players from the same school (Texas Tech?)
Undrafted WRs and OLs
February 15th, 2026 at 4:55 pm
So-answer for Aqualung- you can’t risk throwing the ball for over 5 yards when your 2 guards are turnstiles in pass protection and you have 2 DT’s in your lap on every play in about 1.5 seconds after the snap. Compare how often there were opponents in the backfield when we had Bredeson and Mauch in there vs. when we didn’t. It’s little surprise we finished the season 2-7 without NFL caliber guards.
February 15th, 2026 at 4:56 pm
Sorry- my previous post had disappeared so I re-wrote it. Then it came back, lol.
February 15th, 2026 at 4:58 pm
Im just glad that Mayfield has a history with Robinson, and has bought in. He’s had a different OC every season since day one. At least there is some rapport.
Maybe it will speed up the process of getting the offense on the same page.
February 15th, 2026 at 5:00 pm
Spot on, Todd. This is the Prove It year for JL & TB. We’re already being prepared for a crappy draft and FA signings, so expect a poor season and change in GM and HC. The Bucs seem to be headed full speed into another Decade of Depression.
February 15th, 2026 at 5:03 pm
Aqualung,
If it was that simple, every QB would thrive regardless of protection, separation, or scheme. The offense hit a collective slump. It wasn’t one guy suddenly forgetting how to throw
February 15th, 2026 at 5:29 pm
What Mayfield said was that the players need to play every play full tilt and it was clear they didn’t through the season. No matter who stepped in for who the responsibility is still the same for everyone: do the job you’re tasked with, period. You don’t need field glasses to see that’s what happened last year on both sides of the ball, Mayfield commented on his side but the message should be received by both sides. I think the most criminal thing the Bucs did last year was not having a decent back up QB, I think that has flown way below the radar and still can’t fathom that one. Or any number of other decisions.
February 15th, 2026 at 5:37 pm
Having a short quarterback makes it hard to execute on offense especially when that quarterback throws late 4th quarters picks because he can’t see over the line.
February 15th, 2026 at 5:52 pm
That flop was a team effort led by Bowzo the Great. Everyone contributed.
February 15th, 2026 at 5:53 pm
Linderbaum
February 15th, 2026 at 6:02 pm
Drew Brees is the same height as Baker. Sean Payton took note, always made sure his interior O-line was full of pro-bowl caliber players, as pressure up the middle made passing next to impossible for him
February 15th, 2026 at 6:10 pm
Oneilbuc talking like he knows all about Quarterback’s. His love child America’s turnover machine threw more interceptions and pick sixes than Baker has or ever will. By the way. That clown also threw interceptions in the 4th quarter that lost games and he was taller! But please continue to enlighten us with all your knowledge.