Why Is Baker Mayfield Avoiding Media?
June 3rd, 2026
The exhaustive research on all 32 NFL teams’ quarterbacks is in the books.
Since players reported back for work across the NFL in April, every starting quarterback has had a news conference with very few exceptions.
(Some quarterbacks have had more than one.)
Creepy Browns QB Deshaun Watson is one exception and he may not be a starter, but fellow Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders held a news conference. Denver QB Bo Nix is recovering from a significant injury and hasn’t talked to media. Cardinals QB Jacoby Brissett is a contract holdout and he hasn’t talked, but his competition for a starting job, Gardner Minshew, did take questions.
And then there’s Baker Mayfield. He’s healthy. He’s not creepy. And he’s not a contract holdout. But Mayfield hasn’t held a news conference since reporting back to work for Tampa Bay.
In fact, Mayfield hasn’t done an interview since he was a paid spokesperson hanging around the Super Bowl. Prior to that, Mayfield did one postseason interview with Rondé Barber in January, when Mayfield was very confident Mike Evans would return for another Tampa Bay season.
Most quarterbacks are the face of their franchise and take great pride in that role. They feel obligated to talk to the media when a new fiscal football year begins.
As Joe noted, basically every quarterback has addressed his local media, even injured Patrick Mahomes and stars like Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, as well as old man Aaron Rodgers.
Yes, Mayfield’s wife had a baby in mid-April. Congrats, Baker!! But Mayfield has been practicing. Heck, Jordan Love of the Packers had his first child a week after the Mayfield birth, yet Love held a 17-minute news conference at Packers headquarters this week.
This is not Joe complaining. It’s Joe wondering why Mayfield hasn’t wanted to talk to Bucs fans about the team and all its changes. And yes, that’s exactly what players are doing when they talk to media; they’re talking to fans.
Joe would be more than happy to see Mayfield skip a local news conference and sit down with Buccaneers.com or with one of his many friends in NFL media, for example. The fans want to hear from their leader!
Meanwhile, the Bucs are trying to sell home-game tickets to local fans before Packers and Steelers fans gobble them all up. Mayfield talking sure could help drum up more excitement for ticket sales.
Joe often writes there are no coincidences in the NFL. So Mayfield going silent while his QB peers are talking sure seems noteworthy.
Does Mayfield not want to talk about his contract status or about Mike Evans wanting to play with Brock Purdy?
Ira Kaufman Talks About His 1-On-1 Chat With Jason Licht, OTA Practice Observations And Much More
June 3rd, 2026 at 10:31 pm
Anyone following the Joes knows that Baker doesn’t have to give interviews to make headlines or stories or speculation. Other, inferior markets need athletes to pump up business. With Baker, just post his name, and thirty writers will respond with stories. And don’t forget: many people believe he should be spending less time appearing in the media and focus on his game. See what I mean? He’s an instant story.
June 3rd, 2026 at 10:38 pm
I definitely wish we’d hear some leaks/rumors about his contract status.
June 3rd, 2026 at 10:39 pm
I like it. Have no idea it’s meaning so maybe I wouldn’t like it but to me it means exactly what you said.
He doesn’t wanna talk contract and he doesn’t wanna talk Evans… past that, it’s questions he’s heard a hundred times and he’s just putting his head down and getting to work!
New QB coach, yet another OC for him… focus, it’s what us fans want and need from Baker to be his best this season.
June 3rd, 2026 at 10:43 pm
Maybe it’s good news? As in, he’s about to reach an agreement on a long term deal and he doesn’t want to speak until then.
June 3rd, 2026 at 10:48 pm
Perhaps the trade for Shedeur Sanders is almost complete.
That’s how you win Superbowls!!!
June 3rd, 2026 at 10:50 pm
I like it this way. I’d rather he not speak and just work his rear off giving us the best chance to be great again. I’m hoping he is pissed off about Evans and the contract and plays balls to the wall all season.
June 3rd, 2026 at 11:03 pm
If he only had weapons to throw to….
June 3rd, 2026 at 11:07 pm
I’m not a fantasy football fan…but I don’t see anyone in the WR corps being picked very high in anyone’s fantasy draft….
That’s for you Rod Munch.
June 3rd, 2026 at 11:17 pm
Because he knows this is his last season here. Mike left because he sucks and Baker is being emasculated by the FO telling the world they don’t believe in him. Simple. His days as a starter which should have been over year ago is coming to and end. Moxies and shoulder chips are old and tired. I hope he rents…..
June 3rd, 2026 at 11:56 pm
Give the man a new contract!I wouldn’t talk either.Don’t want him pissed!
June 4th, 2026 at 12:55 am
It is a little curious I’m not gonna lie.
I think Licht is content letting him play for his life again.
Why not?
Yeah you might have to pay him more.
Who cares.
Unless he wins a SB or MVP it won’t be top 5-10.
If he does that’s good for the Bucs.
If he doesn’t, isn’t it still good for the Bucs having not coughed up $50 million a year?
It’s called hedging your bet.
SMART!!!!!
June 4th, 2026 at 1:16 am
Week 6 MVP’s don’t need to talk to the media – they let their play speak for them.
June 4th, 2026 at 1:24 am
Buc1987 Says:
June 3rd, 2026 at 11:07 pm
I’m not a fantasy football fan…but I don’t see anyone in the WR corps being picked very high in anyone’s fantasy draft….
That’s for you Rod Munch.
———–
Well if you knew anything about fantasy football, you know you want teams with a single #1 WR, then a bunch of nobodies, because you want the #1 being force fed the ball. It really doesn’t matter how good the WR is, so long as they’re the single top target.
The Bucs meanwhile have two top WRs in Godwin and e2, then have McMillan who looked great at the end of last year and had a bunch of TDs in 2024, and drafted a rookie in the 3rd round who many think is the Evans replacement and will be the jump ball endzone guy (I don’t think that, but many in fantasy do). Plus even Tez had 5 TDs last year. All that means the Bucs don’t have a solid clear cut #1 at WR for fantasy purposes – meaning no, none of the Bucs WRs will be highly drafted. Which means nothing in terms of real football. It’s like how Mike was rarely a top 20 fantasy WR draft pick – because he always had strong sidekicks, in Vincent Jackson, D-Jax, Godwin, Antonio Brown, etc.
BTW, e2 will be the top Bucs WR drafted – but I’ll be picking up Godwin for cheap, and McMillan for super cheap for my teams.
June 4th, 2026 at 1:36 am
I have also taken notice of this. There really are lots & lots of things that I’m sure he’d not want to talk about, including last season’s results. There’s just nothing good to talk about. All Bad. What else could he talk about… His Big Upcoming QB Docuseries on Netflix!? LoL. I’m sure that’ll be real pretty.
June 4th, 2026 at 1:46 am
“I think Licht is content letting him play for his life again. Why Not?”
That was exactly what I was going to comment, before seeing the “Why Not” part. Exactly, then… Why. Not. There’s nothing to lose. Except for $200+MIL and DESTROYING our future cap. AND, any shot at hiring a ‘top-tier’ level, modern day HC/GM (if and when everything goes to hell).
June 4th, 2026 at 3:39 am
Oh, I dunno Joe. You and all the others are gonna write about him wether he talks or not. He’s probably doing himself a favor.