Possible New Window Into Baker Mayfield’s 2025 Health
July 1st, 2026
Baker backup speaks.
Here’s a fresh nugget from an unlikely source, a guy who spends every football day around Baker Mayfield.
Buccaneers practice squad/third-string quarterback Connor Bazelak, sometimes known as the guy who took Kyle Trask’s Bucs future, had a sitdown recently with James Hill/Mr. Bucs Nation. There, Bazelak touched on Baker Mayfield getting hurt last season and backup QB Teddy Bridgewater getting smacked around when he played against the Rams.
That led to Bazelak, he said, to be reminded by Bucs coaches that he was “two plays away” from being called upon to lead Tampa Bay to victory. “At that point, we were were fighting for a playoff spot,” Bazelak continued.
Bazelak noted he didn’t hear of other NFL teams looking to sign him off the Bucs’ practice squad before he was called up to the active roster late in the season.
But what most interested Joe is Bazelak said he had an expectation of seeing his first regular-season action if the Bucs had clinched a playoff spot.
“Also, I was hoping we would just keep winning and winning, because [the Bucs] did talk about me playing against the Panthers — that Week 18 game at home, which would have been awesome to get some experience,” Bazelak said.
That’s intriguing. Were the Bucs yearning to get Mayfield a week off? Were the Bucs already convinced Bridgewater was undesirable as a backup quarterback and were hoping get Bazelak action to prep him for No. 2 QB duty in the playoffs?
Keep in mind the Bucs had zero interest in retaining Bridgwater this offseason.
July 1st, 2026 at 12:39 pm
They have yet to take the backup QB spot a serious roster spot for years. Of course Baker played thru injuries last year.
July 1st, 2026 at 12:52 pm
Did any of this have anything to do with losing 4 games in a row leading up to our last game of the season? How likely would it have been Bazelak would have been able to score the 16 points we needed to win that game? Why would the QB need a week off for the last game of the season which we needed to win to mathematically have a chance at a postseason berth w/some help from division opponents?
July 1st, 2026 at 1:05 pm
Anybody with eyes could see Baker was hurt. Same as the last year in Cleveland. True grit.
July 1st, 2026 at 1:18 pm
True grit all right. The head coach should have benched him during the bye week to recover some what from his shoulder. This would have giving us a better chance to win the division!
No wonder he lost his players. But no worries. The problem is now fixed Bucs fans.
Meanwhile he and his son are laughing all the way to the bank.
July 1st, 2026 at 1:42 pm
I think he was benched during the bye week. š¤£š¤£š¤£
July 1st, 2026 at 1:50 pm
Would have been better to rest Baker for 1-2 games we lose but he comes back healthy with a much better chance to win. Instead we kept him out there and we lost games anyway. Didnāt matter who was back up he should have rested and healed up.
July 1st, 2026 at 1:51 pm
Tells you what a scrub Bazelak is when he couldnāt even rise over Teddy Hospitality Ball. What a dumpster fire.
July 1st, 2026 at 2:25 pm
āsometimes known as the guy who took Kyle Traskās Bucs futureā.
There you go again, Joe. There you go again. Hahahaha.
July 1st, 2026 at 2:30 pm
Iām with you Joe, Baker was hurt. The Bucs need a solid backup QB but Iām not sure heās on the roster. I hope thereās a real competition for QB2.
July 1st, 2026 at 2:34 pm
Can somebody show where Baker was diagnosed with injuries because every body keeps talking about injuries and they show no proof and Baker hasn’t said anything about him being injured last year ? If you can’t show the proof and I’m not talking about he say she say stuff show the facts because other than that you guys just making up excuses for Baker just like you guys for every player that you like .
July 1st, 2026 at 2:39 pm
Bridge was just collecting a check. He wanted no part of seeing action against the Rams.
July 1st, 2026 at 2:44 pm
Listen Baker ain’t never coming off the field as long as Bowles is here. In 2023 Bowles was afraid to put Trask out there because if Trask plays well then you got a quartback controversy and Bowles ain’t going to put Baker in that situation. And this year will be the same if he’s hurt because if those young quarterbacks plays well Baker can’t handle it. That’s why the bucs will never win a Superbowl with Baker or Todd Bowles.
July 1st, 2026 at 2:49 pm
But then again the bar is set really low here in Tampa by bucs meadi and all of them love to bring up 10 years ago and because of what happened in the past we should be happy with 8- 9 9-7 in trash division . And the crazy part about it is the same people that’s saying Baker is great is the main ones that don’t go to the games in Tampa and they’re seasons tickets holders lol š š. The stadium will remain empty of bucs fans and full of the visiting team fan base. Because the same season tickets holders who say Baker is great will sale they’re tickets to the visiting team. Lol š š
July 1st, 2026 at 3:14 pm
Oneil Buc, looks like you are catching the same psychoses that Melvin Jr has, talking and writing to himself. Take a pill, get therapy.
July 1st, 2026 at 3:24 pm
We’re no better off at the backup QB this year.
July 1st, 2026 at 3:38 pm
What’s amusing is that if you learn to watch ALL22 correctly, you would still see an injured Mayfield was still NOT the problem with that offense.
Of course learning to watch game film well takes decades…
July 1st, 2026 at 3:42 pm
It was a failure by Jason Licht. We haven’t had a capable backup QB the whole time Baker has been here. The last one was Gabbert, an Arians guy. Now he gives us Browning? Hopefully Blaze, and Daniels show well this camp, and preseason, but not much stock has been put into the position. The Bucs also have to sit Baker when he’s hurt, period. If you’re going to go 2-7 down the stretch because Baker’s hurt, sit him. Do it for his own good, and the teams long term. Hey, you never know. Tom Brady, 6th round pick came off the bench. Better to put a healthy QB out there, than a wounded one.
July 1st, 2026 at 4:22 pm
JimBobBuc … ‘ām with you Joe, Baker was hurt. The Bucs need a solid backup QB but Iām not sure heās on the roster. I hope thereās a real competition for QB2.’
No question in my mind that Baker was hurt after our 6th game (against the 49ers). Proof IMO is that Baker didn’t run at all in Games 7, 8 or 9 (Lions, Saints & Pats), highly unusual for him. Plus his passing was somewhat below average (he threw 117, completed 71 for 60.6%), we lost 2 out of 3, and we only scored 55 pts total in those 3 games. The fact that Baker didn’t run at all in the Pats game (our first game after our BYE week) tells me that he was still hurting after the BYE.
Bucs went on to lose 6 of the next 7 games with Baker at the helm. I was at the Arizona game (only game in that stretch that we won) and I’ll say without hesitation that the Bucs’ offense just didn’t look like it was in sync that game. that game. Defense forced 2 Arizona turnovers, but we ended up punting after both of those. Our 20 pts was enough to secure a victory only because our defense held the Cards to only 17 pts.
July 1st, 2026 at 4:27 pm
“I’m telling you Baker was going through a lot. Baker had a lot of injuries that you don’t expect a quarterback to play through. He had the oblique injury, he had the shoulder injury, he had a lot of things like ankle and knee injury. The seasons over with now so I can talk about it”-Lavonte David statement on Baker Mayfields 2025 injuries.
“After week 7 Baker never looked right. I would never blame Bake for last season. He was playing lights out before he had the injuries. He put 38 on the eventual superbowl champs-Lavonte David
I would pay attention to Lavonte David long before these moronic haters concerning last season.
July 1st, 2026 at 4:53 pm
While plans about backup quarterbacks from last season are mildly interesting it would be a lot more valuable to hear what other players thought or knew about Bakerās condition. Is any new info available?
July 1st, 2026 at 5:19 pm
This is common sense. It was obvious they had no trust in Teddy Bridgewater. It was a mistake to ever him and he got Godwin injured for most of the year.
It was obvious for half the year Baker was not 100% so of course they wanted to give him a week off if they could clinch early
July 1st, 2026 at 5:56 pm
Oneil, proof is that Baker was on the injury list numerous times.
July 1st, 2026 at 6:08 pm
@DR, my only take away from your post is “I was at the Arizona game (only game in that stretch that we won).” Please attend more games this season. Thx.
The rest is much discussed, debated, speculated, excusilated history.
July 1st, 2026 at 6:08 pm
@DR, my only take away from your post is “I was at the Arizona game (only game in that stretch that we won).” Please attend more games this season. Thx.
The rest is much discussed, debated, speculated, excusilated history.
July 1st, 2026 at 6:10 pm
I agree with OāNeill and disagree with bakerfan. If Mayfield played poorly down the stretch because of injuries, tell us what the injuries were.
Otherwise, it just leads to speculation. And for those who donāt believe Baker was hurt, itās just creates bad feelings towards him.
I donāt understand why the team would foment this among its fans.
July 1st, 2026 at 6:40 pm
Man, thereās just aināt anything to write about this time of year.
July 1st, 2026 at 7:01 pm
Licht and Bowles begged Tracy Chapman to come play for the Bucs ( give me one good reason to be hereā¦). He was suspended from his involvement with his high school team ( nothing seemed egregiousā¦but he was out ) and had to be convinced. When he came in for Baker vs a geeked up Lions teamā¦he was frightenedā¦and that was that. Baker played hurt there in outā¦a 3rd stringer wasnāt a good optionā¦despite his above optimism.
July 1st, 2026 at 7:08 pm
My gut after rewatching games is that baker was hurt against that tough Texans game. He took some hard hits.
July 1st, 2026 at 7:09 pm
lol with the last comment!!. Joe you must be bored!. Joe I think most us want to forget last year. Joe the defense was pathetic. Baker was hurt. I am sure and he tried to compensate for the defense. I think most of us want to forget last year as much as possible. 3-28 will live in infamy.Mike Evans could not take it anymore. Yes tough year. Hopefully the defense can be average, that would be a big step forward. Hopefully Bowles and Licht realize they better get another CB before the season starts. Yes let talk about Godwin , J Mac, Ebucka and Baker scoring 30 points a game to overcome the defense. Let’s hope that Irving and Gainwell run well behind a healthy O Line. Let’s talk about that hope cause that is all we have to help us forget last year. Joe let it go. Why discuss a pathetic team last year.
July 1st, 2026 at 7:14 pm
DR. I wish, just for your own sake, youād click on the 20 minute game highlights of the Arizona Tampa game that you attended last year. Remember Godwin dropping a perfect TD pass. Hit both hands. I love Godwin, boy he looked perplexed that that ball bounced off those hands. How about the opening drive, 3rd and 10 entering Cardinal territory and Emeka, perfect pass, right off both hands for the first down. Winfield did make a nice pick after theyād ran and thrown it down our throats about 70 yards. Sure, our offense had to punt. So? Itās hard starting drives inside your 10 with a rookie OC. I think you fell asleep during that game if you credit the defense with outplaying the offense. Before you retort, please take 20 minutes and refresh your memory. And quit spreading disinformation about Baker.
July 1st, 2026 at 7:17 pm
I was at the Arizona game too DR. And the offense was almost all dink and dunk (immediate dump off) due to huge pressure up the middle. Thatās how we played offense the entire second half of the season. Some was probably injury but a lot was just trying to avoid getting Baker killed out there. Once Bredeson was out starting week 10 we completely turtled.
July 1st, 2026 at 7:19 pm
And OāNeill is English even your first language? If not, itās probably not something you should try to write in anymore.
July 1st, 2026 at 7:32 pm
Offense was largely anemic those last games (outside of the 3rd and 28 game) There was more wrong than whatever was going on with Baker. Every one of those games, we had a GREAT opening drive, then the rest of the game, it’s like Trent Dilfer time again. They figured out our offense, and Josh either didn’t recognize that, or couldn’t figure out what to do about it
July 1st, 2026 at 8:00 pm
Neil and bob ! I love the qb controversy lol! Beer is good…. LMFAO! Trask lol please stop it!š
July 1st, 2026 at 8:01 pm
Hodad Says:
“The Bucs also have to sit Baker when heās hurt, period. If youāre going to go 2-7 down the stretch because Bakerās hurt, sit him.”
I agree they should force him to sit…but…hindsight is 20-20. They did not know they would go 2-7.
Personally, I think it’s a crime to not have a decent backup.
July 1st, 2026 at 8:05 pm
I’ve been saying all along : it was the culmination of many things going wrong in the same season. The team wide injuries (not sure but I THINK we were second most in the league?), horrible special teams, and lack of defensive talent or we had rookies starting, horrible OC.
July 1st, 2026 at 8:09 pm
Offense is anemic when 3 defensive tackles are charging up the middle on every single play instantly. Thatās why Baker immediately passed so often and we tried running right into them to no avail so many times. Baker threw countless immediate out wide passes. Which generally got about 2-3 yards per play. Not much. At least he wasnāt getting hit all the time because of it.
July 1st, 2026 at 8:34 pm
LOL ITS BROWNING TIME!
July 1st, 2026 at 8:53 pm
Did you watch Baker play with the playoffs on the line? He was terrible. The only reason Baker wasn’t yanked was because the backup options were so incredibly bad.
This story confirms it.
July 1st, 2026 at 8:54 pm
Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and yours truly Baker Mayfield.
Quarterbacks to throw for 80+ TD’s in their first 40 starts, AFTER CHANGING TEAMS.
That’s a pretty good neighborhood to be in. Only 3 in the history of the NFL.
Pay the man!!!
July 1st, 2026 at 8:57 pm
Yes nimrod Rodney Munch and Lavonte David said he was so injured he shouldn’t even been suited up. But I know, you don’t care about the truth.
July 1st, 2026 at 9:16 pm
Pretty misleading headline, if you ask me. There was nothing in this post that had anything to do with Baker’s health issues unless you want to believe that sitting a QB during week 18 when you have already won the division and have nothing to gain is an absolute direct correlation to that QB having a disabling injury.
July 1st, 2026 at 9:25 pm
Bowles sucks so badly at both of his jobs that he canāt even win a putrid division with the highest rated playoff passer of any active QB.
That means you should be unemployed yesterday!!! That was for you Floormatt!!!
Until Toilet Bowels is flushed, we might as well wait for the draft and hope.
But unfortunately Bud Licht is incapable of drafting a franchise QB.
So weāre stuck with Faker Suckfield. Itās a Bucs life!!!
July 1st, 2026 at 10:37 pm
Why are you even here Lynch? I mean, what is your purpose in life? To amuse us? Youāre not amusing or intelligent. Youāre biased and thatās all you are. Other than useless to the commentary around here. Same as several other lurkers who obviously are pulling for other teams and trying to undermine this one at every opportunity. Please just do the world a favor and move on.
July 1st, 2026 at 10:43 pm
Take Munch Mr. Baker single-handedly lost the universe with you. Melvin too. Would be such a nicer place to talk about the team in unbiased accurate terms for a change with people that actually like the team. Everyone knows what was wrong last year and it was vast injuries to crucial players. It was a lost season. However, it certainly doesnāt undermine Baker in any way who actually played quite well all things considered and deserves every bit of this contract that is **inevitably** coming.
And if Bowles gets a better front 7, the defense will improve as well. A lot depends on injuries as is typical.
July 1st, 2026 at 10:50 pm
Can anyone tell me why it was so important to sign hospital ball Teddy and release Trask? If we were rolling with an unplayable backup QB why not just keep Trask? It didn’t make any sense last year and this year it is proving to be a terrible decision on everyone’s part.
July 1st, 2026 at 11:07 pm
Even a healthy Baker could not compensate for the incompetent, loafing defense last 2 years.
July 1st, 2026 at 11:48 pm
To the top commentā¦ oh they took the backup qb job seriouslyā¦ just at the worst time as we tried to go back to back and had Tom Brady.
Massive whiff on Trask at a super inopportune time. Could have had a CB or WR to take reps after ABs meltdown, or another pass rusher or anyone that didnt ride bench and do nothing for 4 years.
July 2nd, 2026 at 12:15 am
Stpetematt…..let peeps fan the way they want to fan.
July 2nd, 2026 at 9:49 am
Thereās 0 evidence they are fans at all.
July 2nd, 2026 at 11:38 am
How do we really know he was hurt??? Do you really ask that question w a straight face?
Itās all about watching the game,, Shoulder , Oblique , Ribs,, Head,, how many times a game he was in Blue tent ,, how many times he got bent backward where the back of his feet touched the top of his helmet,,,
Maybe too tough,,,Baker needs to go to some Rays practices and learn how to slide !! So was he hurt,, the eyeball test says yes!
July 2nd, 2026 at 4:29 pm
100% right Stpete, no evidence at all. He/they should move on.
July 2nd, 2026 at 4:35 pm
I would bet Lavonte David’s comments about how badly hurt Baker was last year make the cry baby haters cringe with the truth, cringe. Especially when he listed all the injuries. Truth hurts doesn’t it. Baker will rule this year, along with our offense and that is what they are afraid of most. Can’t wait to see them go silent once AGAIN when Baker is playing lights out and everyone is saying he will be the MVP again. Cannot wait!!!
July 2nd, 2026 at 5:20 pm
@What it is
Todd’s defense will make sure none of that ever comes to fruition.
Keep injecting that hopium straight into your veins.
We were told last summer that 12 wins was the floor.
How’d that turn out? Oh right, Faker Suckfield went 2-7 down the stretch.
July 2nd, 2026 at 5:47 pm
Jason Licht is 100% to blame for getting Teddy Bridgewater as a backup. That probably cost us the playoffs. Jason Licht is a mediocre GM and this year will finally get us the changes we need at OBP. Regime change baby!
-David
July 2nd, 2026 at 7:57 pm
Hopefully the Quarterback show getting ready to start will finally give us some real insight into how hurt he was last year. But at the same time, it’s last year. Time to put it to bed.
July 2nd, 2026 at 9:10 pm
He’s a box of peanut brittle now. Always has to prove he’s a dawg so won’t scale back his bravado. It’s great what he does at times but not good for the team when he gets injured because when that happens season is over because he can’t play injured in any way
July 3rd, 2026 at 12:51 am
Well to all you Baker fan boys and to the real bucs fans because it’s a differents between the 2 . 8-9 9-8 and he was injured ain’t going to be a good enough excuse this year. This is the 4th year with Baker and Bowles time for them to put up are shut up. They must get to a NFC championship this year no more excuses regardless how bucs meadi try to keep the bar low as possible. I remember telling y’all that some of you guys pick and choose who you give excuses to. If this was Jamies you guys would blame him for every lost last year especially going 2-7 down the strech. And to let all you Baker fan boys know that ain’t no body is rooting against Baker we all hope he plays well this year. But you don’t have to make up excuses when Baker plays bad just to be a real bucs fan. Baker has to play better in big games and in big moments. Stats don’t matter is your not clutch in big games. And I’m not talking about week 2 or 5 which is ok . But I’m talking about playoffs and the Panthers game when he threw a pick and lost the game or the lions playoff game when he threw a pick on his second throw. Again I was one of the guys that was saying he was leading the MVP race last year at the first half of the season. Ain’t nothing wrong with calling it like it is what’s happening on the field. NFC championship or bust no more excuses!!