Baker Mayfield Said He Was In The Dark On Renewed Contract Talks
September 10th, 2026
Baker Mayfield beams Wednesday in the wake of his new extension.
It seemed easy to connect the dots as Adam Schefter seemed to do.
During training camp, Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer showed up at practice. He stood on the sidelines and talked mostly with Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht. At one point, Joe noticed holdout back-injured Vita Vea was standing right in front of Glazer.
A few hours later, Vea and the Bucs agreed on a new deal.
Joe doesn’t believe in coincidences in football. The Boss showed up and a deal for Vea was struck. Hhhmmm?
So when Schefter, the BSPN uber NFL insider, spoke on his podcast this week, he said Baker Mayfield broke bread with Team Glazer at a function. A handful of days later, voila! Mayfield had an extension.
Joe was ready yesterday to ask Mayfield at One Buc Palace if his dinner with Team Glazer in any way sparked contract negotiations to resume. But before Joe got a chance to ask that, Mayfield told the local pen and mic club he had no idea the Bucs and his representatives had resumed talks.
Remember, Mayfield stated his deadline to get an extension was the start of training camp. If the deadline was missed, he wouldn’t negotiate until after the season.
“I told my agent, ‘Listen, I’m done talking about it,'” Mayfield said of his deadline. “Unless something really changes, you can bring that to my attention.
“If you think I actually am willing to agree to it, then bring it to my attention.’ Apparently, they engaged in talks last week that I did not know about until Monday [at] about 6 p.m.
“It caught [Mayfield and his wife] off guard when we were at dinner, just sitting down to eat, and the agent said, ‘Hey, I think I need to give you a call. I need to update you on something.'”
And the next thing you know, Mayfield became one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL.
Even when Mayfield spoke often about his self-imposed deadline, Joe didn’t believe it was that firm. If Mayfield’s agent got an offer Mayfield couldn’t refuse, Joe couldn’t picture Mayfield digging his heels in and hollering at Licht, “I TOLD YOU NOT TO TALK TO ME UNTIL FEBRUARY! BUZZ OFF, CORNHUSKER!”
Yeah, if someone was going to throw $165 million a year in Joe’s face, any sort of deadline gets tossed out the window at that moment.
September 10th, 2026 at 4:14 am
Sometimes good things happen to good people. This may be a reach, but I’m getting that warm and fuzzy feeling about this team again like when Brady signed back in the day! Kinda like Deja-vu all over again with a different cast of characters! Go Bucs.
September 10th, 2026 at 4:51 am
Good things can happen to people who wait not those who perpetrate. I hope he stays healthy this year because last year once he got injured he almost looked like Ballsack slinging the football, and the entire offense followed suit. He balled out in 2024 and thru the 6-2 start so he better be smart with his body and protect it. Stop trying so hard to be a dawg and know when to slide. Some of the extra curiculars he does while trying to make a play could be left at the table. That extra yard or two can be given to someone else to grind out
September 10th, 2026 at 4:56 am
Where’s all the haters claiming Glazers never spend money. Meanwhile b7cs are almost against the cap every season. I laugh when I hear people saying Glazers are cheap. I remember the culverhouse days quite vividly like it was yesterday. The Glazers are so far superior to the culverhouse ownership its not even close. You talk about cheap. The culverhouse ownership invented the copper wire pinching that penny. If Bucs stay healthy I would not be surprised with 11-13 wins.
September 10th, 2026 at 6:03 am
3rd and 28 Says:
“Sometimes good things happen to good people. This may be a reach, but I’m getting that warm and fuzzy feeling about this team again like when Brady signed back in the day! Kinda like Deja-vu all over again with a different cast of characters! Go Bucs.”
Not a reach at all. Last year this team proved that, when healthy, it can compete with the big boys. Last year, when healthy, Mayfield played like an MVP.
Injuries were the root cause of every bad thing last year except bad coaching. While the coaching has has afew adjustments made, the main problem is still here.
But…Bowles has proven previously that with enough defensive talent (SB team), he can he can produce a good enough defense…if not a great one.
Just like an offensive HC needs good offensive talent and a QB to succeed.
Even without Mike Evans, we had some great WRs last year (and some mediocre ones), but this year we probably have even better…if they stay healthy.
So far as Mayfield, I really felt for him last year…first his left shoulder, then his ribs, then his right (throwing) shoulder. And the root cause of his injuries were the injuries the his offensive line.
However, I’m a firm believe that adversity builds strength. They defense might have enough talent to reach top 12 or better, and with a top offense, that will equate to a lot of wins.
Especially when we consider that even with all that went wrong last year, if the defense had been ably to stop just one more score per game, we would still have had a great winning record.
September 10th, 2026 at 6:04 am
Negotiations, small and large, are happening all the time. Jason Licht, when he’s not talking to reporters or standing on the sidelines, is talking to agents. It’s how the business gets done.
I’m glad this one is over because the constant chatter from reporters who have no imagination and just bring up the same thing over and over is very tiresome. Here we go, the narrative will now change from “chip on his shoulder” to “prove he’s worth the new deal”. Even Jose succumbs to the narratives sometimes.
September 10th, 2026 at 6:05 am
Bonzai, this year, we are the big boys.
September 10th, 2026 at 6:08 am
Noclu4u Says:
“Where’s all the haters claiming Glazers never spend money.”
People who claim that only show they’re not Bucs fans…because real fans know the Glazers have spent a lot with this team.
Arians had the largest staff in the NFL. And he didn’t come cheap. I believe in indoor practice facilty was paid for with Glazer money too…plus a good portion of the current stadium.
We, as fans know that.
September 10th, 2026 at 6:09 am
Jack Burton Mercer Says:
“Bonzai, this year, we are the big boys.”
Agreed. Team of destiny!
September 10th, 2026 at 7:34 am
Happy for him and his family on a human level.
September 10th, 2026 at 8:48 am
Last time Baker signed an extension he got Liam Coen a HC job, happy Baker is a king maker
September 10th, 2026 at 9:40 am
Money is the great equalizer which brought both sides together. End of the story. Now it’s about playing football without all the repercussion nonsense.
September 10th, 2026 at 9:54 am
Bonzai, once again you’ve got it wrong.
Stadium FundingSales Tax: Hillsborough County voters approved a half-cent Community Investment Tax in 1996.Cost: The original construction cost was roughly $168 million, paid for with public tax funds.Ownership: The public entity Tampa Sports Authority owns the stadium, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers serve as tenants.
The original 1996 stadium agreement set aside $12 million in public tax funds to help build an NFL practice facility for the team.
September 10th, 2026 at 11:09 am
$165 million a year? Patrick Mahomes is on the phone with his agent.
September 10th, 2026 at 3:05 pm
I give credit to the Glazers and Todd for getting the deal negotiated.
But when will people stop with this nonesense about the Glazers being cheap. Perhaps the long lasting hangover from ManU days. But once they got in the black with their soccer team they spent what everybody else spends.
The league has a salary cap!!! The struggle is not to convince cheap owners it’s figuring out how to get all those salaries under the cap. Let’s hope Todd and the Glazers have figured that out correctly or the future could hang in the balance.
September 10th, 2026 at 3:47 pm
Where’s all the haters claiming Glazers never spend money. Meanwhile b7cs are almost against the cap every season. I laugh when I hear people saying Glazers are cheap. I remember the culverhouse days quite vividly like it was yesterday. The Glazers are so far superior to the culverhouse ownership its not even close. You talk about cheap. The culverhouse ownership invented the copper wire pinching that penny. If Bucs stay healthy I would not be surprised with 11-13 wins
If I remember correctly, ole Hugh tried to pay Doug Williams with property before he left for the USFL.
September 10th, 2026 at 6:53 pm
I think we all know Culverhouse was terrible. I’m not saying the Glazers are any cheaper than any other Billionaire owners.
They get as much paid for with public money as the rest of them, they don’t spend their own if they can get away with it. Do with that what you will.
September 11th, 2026 at 7:05 am
I’m glad everyone is happy about the Baker contract I’m glad he got his money. I think he could have gotten more if he would have waited until after this year by just putting up good numbers wich is not hard to do in today’s game. I think the bucs should have waited as well until after the season. But now it’s no more excuses I don’t want to hear it’s Bowles fault he’s injured. Baker has to close out games now all the 3rd and 28 people blaming the defense after Baker had 2 chances to close that game out and he didn’t and most of Baker fans blamed everyone but Baker. Now that he got his money he has to close those type of games out. On game winning drives he has to come through more than not in big games. Being 2-11 in prime time games can’t happen anymore . Going on 5 and 6 games losing streak and he’s one of the main reasons got to stop. If the defense gives up 20 points he has to score 21 points their is no more excuses and yes he has 3 years to get to a superbowl. I don’t care about what Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Dak do they’re not on the bucs team. All of those guys played in conference championship games but Dak and he gets most of the blame for the cowboys. Josh Allen played on a broken foot last year and he got all the blame for not getting to the superbowl just like Jackson. So now Baker is in that same position when he got his contract . When he plays bad to all the Baker fan boys just say he played bad and when play good I will say he played good just like I said last year at the beginning of the season when he was the leading mvp. I call it like I see it and I’m talking to the real bucs fans on this one not the people that’s just here because of Baker you guys don’t count. It’s not one bucs fan that hope Baker plays bad because that means the bucs ain’t winning so please stop with the people hate Baker talk because they say he played bad if he has a bad game. To me I don’t care how he plays this week I’m not that concerned about these games rather he plays good or bad it’s early. I’m going to judge him when it’s playoffs games or win and get games that’s what I want to see more than just week 1 to week 5 or 6 . Now if go on another 5 or 6 game losing streak that’s going to be a problem but other than that the big games and big moments is when I want to see Baker perform at a high level. I wouldn’t care if Baker had 20 tds and 15 picks the whole season and he comes through in big games and on game winning drives I will say good season. It’s time to at least get to the conference championship game.