Baker Mayfield May Have Had A Better 2024 Season Than You Thought
August 30th, 2025
Ceiling not yet reached?
Man, Joe looks back at when Bucs coach Todd Bowles begged and hounded Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht to sign Baker Mayfield.
Mayfield could end up making that move the best Bucs’ free agent signing outside of Tom Brady?
(And to think there are still some people caterwauling about unemployed Kyle Trask. Can you imagine? You’d think these same folks should be more concerned about DJ Lagway.)
On his podcast, “The Athletic Football Show,” Robert Mays points out that in one critical element, Mayfield last year had one of the best seasons this century.
“My swing point here is just what Baker Mayfield looks like in high-leverage situations, because he was incredible in those situations last year. He was second in the NFL in dropback success rate on third down, behind only Patrick Mahomes. The Bucs as a team last year, per TruMedia, had the sixth-best third-down conversion rate of the past 25 years. The teams that are on that list: the 2011 Saints, the 2006 Colts, the 2004 Vikings and Daunte Culpepper’s MVP-esque season with Randy Moss, the 2001 Rams, the 2022 Bills. For the most part, these are historically good offenses or offenses with MVP-level quarterback play. That’s not going to happen again, but how much of a fall off is there?”
Or, what happens if Mayfield is better?
Remember, last year was Mayfield’s first season not just with then-offensive coordinator Liam Coen, but with Bucs’ third-down strategist Josh Grizzard. That same third-down strategist returns this year leading the offense.
So Mayfield already knows what Grizzard wants on third downs and very likely Grizzard has expanded on the foundation he worked on with Mayfield last year.
While Mayfield was superb last year, who says he can’t get better?
August 30th, 2025 at 10:10 am
Especially considering >50% of the interceptions and fumbles were on rookie WRs and a rookie center transitioning from left tackle.
It’s on the ALL22.
August 30th, 2025 at 10:13 am
All I ask is to stop choking in the playoffs. That’ll make me happy.
August 30th, 2025 at 10:19 am
lol. Typical negative Buc’s fan, article talks about how great baker was and immediately someone brings up something to bash him. People act like Baker has been with the Buc’s for 10 years. He’s going on his third year with us, his first two years he’s won a playoff game with us. That was his first year with us when everyone predicted we’d have the number 1 overall pick because we’d finish with the worst record in the league. Give Baker a little time, this year everything is in place and I think we’ll make a deep playoff run! Positive vibes
August 30th, 2025 at 10:23 am
The article is about if he can get better. Not choking in the playoffs is a way to get better. Stop being such a sensitive little girl.
August 30th, 2025 at 10:27 am
Perhaps, just perhaps, Baker is on track to manifest the all-star QB qualities a Number 1 overall draft pick is hoped to possess. Oh Cleveland, you’ve done it again!
August 30th, 2025 at 10:29 am
Cue the dunces to bring up how Jameis and Trask are better. One is 3rd string and one is unemployed. Why hasn’t anyone else signed Trask if he’s so good?
Could it be that he in fact sucks?
August 30th, 2025 at 10:35 am
Lmao. Trust me I’m not crying if you interrupted like that it’s fine. You’re entitled to your opinion as am I. I just am trying to understand what you mean choking in the playoffs? His first season with us he won a playoff game and the next game he lost on the road to a Lions team that was a higher seed how is that choking? Last year I agree we should have beat the commanders. That fumble Graham Barton said it was his fault. Again we should have won that game I agree but a choke to a team that went to the NFC championship. Maybe a choke or maybe Jayden Daniel’s is damn good. Couch fan it’s all love we are Bucs fans so I respect you.
August 30th, 2025 at 10:39 am
I think Baker will regress and play terrible this season, more then likely will be replaced by Teddy Bridgewater after the bye, not looking like a great season for the Bucs, I predict a 3-14 season, perhaps they will be in the mix for Arc Manning with the 2026 draft
August 30th, 2025 at 10:44 am
Too many fumbles (13) and too many INTs (16) and too many turnovers.
Led the NFL…
Other than that Baker had a very productive season.
We lost a slew of close games and the turnovers were the difference in those games.
August 30th, 2025 at 10:57 am
No, they generally weren’t. And 3-14???
This is a Bucs fan site, not an Atlanta Falcons troll site…
August 30th, 2025 at 10:58 am
I love Baker but I agree he needs to cutdown his turnovers. However that 13 fumble stat is so misleading, he fumbled 13 last year but only lost 2. The other 11 we retained possession. So I look at it as 16 interceptions and 2 fumbles. Still needs less turnovers I agree.
August 30th, 2025 at 10:58 am
We are super thin at WR again until Godwin gets back
August 30th, 2025 at 10:59 am
Todd’s defense was the problem last year. If it does not show improvment the Bucs will be lucky to win more than 6 games.
August 30th, 2025 at 11:14 am
@ Gatorsbucfan
“he fumbled 13 last year but only lost 2.”
I understand.
But there are several things that are considered “drive killers”.
– INTs
– Penalties
– Sacks
– Fumbles
Even if you recover a fumble it is a loss of 3-10 yards and a loss of down…
We had too many drive killers last season and that is how you lose close games.
August 30th, 2025 at 11:29 am
Fantastic point about the fumbles being drive killers and I agree Baker needs to be better. However I still stand by when someone says fumble %95 automatically think it’s a turnover. I think fumbles and lost fumbles should have a separate category. Like u said above Baker needs to cutdown his turnovers, as for a “productive season” as you said. Baker had one of the best statistical seasons of all time last year. I think that gets lost context, but I think Baker does great this season. Maybe not as many touchdowns, less turnovers and a deeper playoff run.
August 30th, 2025 at 11:40 am
@ Gatorsbucfan
“Baker had one of the best statistical seasons of all time last year”
I agree.
I believe the Bucs are getting a pretty solid deal for what they are paying for Baker.
“I think Baker does great this season. Maybe not as many touchdowns, less turnovers and a deeper playoff run.”
I hope you are right – plus the Bucs will probably have a better defense than last year’s…
August 30th, 2025 at 11:40 am
If Mayfield is better and Bucs win the Super bowl we may not be able to afford Baker anymore and then we can bring back Trask.
August 30th, 2025 at 11:44 am
“That’s not going to happen again, but how much of a fall off is there?” – Robert Mays
That was a pretty snide remark. So, he’s trying to say how good Mayfield is, while in the same breath saying it was a one-time-thing? That Mayfield is incapable of doing it again…or even improving on it?
August 30th, 2025 at 11:44 am
No one cares about stats
Stats are for losers
Give me playoff wins
That make a great season
August 30th, 2025 at 11:46 am
“Jack” too much of a coward to use his regular username to say things like that. Grow a pair, kid.
August 30th, 2025 at 11:48 am
“And to think there are still some people caterwauling about unemployed Kyle Trask. Can you imagine?” – Joe
I think it is more about the Bucs lying to the fans about there actually being a QB competition, and then, worse, purposely making sure Trask rarely got to work with starters to aid in his development.
Because of that, they probably ruined him…along with his future.
August 30th, 2025 at 11:51 am
As to Baker Mayfield, Couch Fan said:
“All I ask is to stop choking in the playoffs. That’ll make me happy.”
Unlike Gator, I’m not going to attack you for that statement…because as a fan, it is a valid concern for you and other fans.
Personally, I think it is only a matter of time…but I do think Mayfield chokes in big games. Can he overcome it? Probably…but until he does, it is a concern, whether some people want to live in denial or not.
I think he will prove capable of getting us to the Superbowl. Will he choke there? Again, we’ll see.
August 30th, 2025 at 11:53 am
LakelandBuc Says:
“Stats are for losers…”
That man who said that is a loser, so I don’t know why you think he is worthy of quoting, lol.
August 30th, 2025 at 11:54 am
Gatorsbucsfan Says
“I love Baker but I agree he needs to cutdown his turnovers. However that 13 fumble stat is so misleading, he fumbled 13 last year but only lost 2. The other 11 we retained possession. So I look at it as 16 interceptions and 2 fumbles. Still needs less turnovers I agree.”
Unless he recovered them, they should 100% count. A fumble is a fumble.
August 30th, 2025 at 12:01 pm
I don’t think management is lying about it being a competition 2 years ago. Imagine if Trask lit it up. For both the coaches and importantly the media to see. And imagine he lit it up in the preseason. Yeah yeah, second team offensive line I get it. No one is saying he is mahomes, but I remember in mahomes rookie season. Everyone talking about him lighting it up while being behind. Alex Smith. We know the rest of that story. Baker clearly outplayed him and thus he’s the quarterback. It doesn’t have to be more complicated than that.
August 30th, 2025 at 12:09 pm
@Buccaneer bonzai I said Couch Fan was being a negative Buc’s fan for taking a jab at Baker on a post that was made to compliment Baker. That’s what you call attacking someone lmao. Couch Fan than responds calling me a sensitive little girl and I respond “he is entitled to his opinion and I have love and respect for him because he is a Buc’s fan”. Brilliant analysis lol
August 30th, 2025 at 12:53 pm
I’m a Baker Mayfield fan. Dad played football. Me and my brothers played football. All 4 of my sons played football. My grandsons are playing football. My twin was our HS QB. A son was a QB in high school. All state honorable mention levels. I have watched alot of good football in my day. All of us played against good players, many who played NFL ball. Baker Mayfield is one of the 10 best QBs I’ve ever seen play the game. Doesn’t matter what others think. He’s a heck of a QB.
August 30th, 2025 at 12:57 pm
The idiocy never stops. It is the same band camp boys making the same stupid statements. Here are a couple for the band boys to consider. Baker has played 7 full NFL years and has 90 INT’s in those 7 years. In Tom Brady first full 7 years Brady had 78 INT’s. Touchdown passes in first 7 were roughly equal between the two of them. If anyone is dumb enough to think that a NFL QB is not going to throw INT’s, go back to playing your clarinet and march around in your backyard. Finally, in the second NO game Baker threw 3 INT’s yet Bucs won by 30 points.
August 30th, 2025 at 12:59 pm
Should have said; “first NO game.”
August 30th, 2025 at 1:29 pm
He can be the best q.b. in the league. To think JOE said he’s pretty much maxed out and can’t get much better
August 30th, 2025 at 1:30 pm
Joe’s not saying Mayfield is maxed out, but he’s darn close. The Bucs need to get better around him.
August 30th, 2025 at 1:32 pm
Jack is my other grandson and he’s more of a lump of useless shizz then my little Jeffy poo
August 30th, 2025 at 1:34 pm
LakelandBuc … ‘No one cares about stats. Stats are for losers. Give me playoff wins. That make a great season.
Teams that win playoff games & go on to win the Super Bowl almost always have excellent ‘stats’ Lakeland. You don’t even make the playoffs by being in the bottom tier of every stat.
Look at last year’s SB champ Philly. They had the #7 offense overall & #2 defense in terms of Points. They had the #1 Passing defense & the #10 Run defense in terms of yards. Their defense also ranked #3 in terms of 3rd Down Percentage & #5 in terms of RedZone Percentage. Good teams typically put up good stats.
August 30th, 2025 at 1:41 pm
Defense Rules,
But those teams consistently put up great stats
For example, the Bucs struggled to score 20 points against Washington in the playoffs. The Eagles dropped 55 points on the exact same team.
One team were consistent, one team were inconsistent
And the consistent team won the Super Bowl
The inconsistent team went fishing
August 30th, 2025 at 1:50 pm
The only question that matters to me is did we get to a conference championship or to the Superbowl and the answer is no. So at this point it’s easy to put up good stats with the weapons around Baker and the play calling.
August 30th, 2025 at 1:59 pm
Jack is obviously a Saints fan… he thought he was posting on the Saints website.
August 30th, 2025 at 2:01 pm
We didn’t get deeper into the playoffs because our defense was beat up and mostly injured in the secondary. And since we didn’t have much of a pass rush, that killed us. We didn’t have the horses to go any farther in the playoffs. Baker played well enough and so did the rest of the offense. Can’t blame it on Bowles either.
August 30th, 2025 at 2:18 pm
@marunebuc
“We lost a slew of close games and the turnovers were the difference in those games.”
Totally delusional. we lost a slew of games in general because our defense SUCKED.
August 30th, 2025 at 2:21 pm
Well when he gets to the playoffs , wins MVP,,, Gets to the Super Bowl and doesn’t have a great game Couch will say , yea but until he stops choking in the Super Bowl lol,,
Glad you are not a Raven fan, you would be all over 2 time MVP Lamar , yea but he chokes in the playoffs (2-5), in fact Baker at 2-3 in playoffs means he chokes less than Lamar!
Love Brady and what he did for us but did he really excel and win us the SB or did our D run Mahomes all over the yard that day
August 30th, 2025 at 2:25 pm
LakelandBuc Says:
No one cares about stats
Stats are for losers
At this point whenever I use google translate on your posts it comes up
“I love trask he’s my ride or die. I’ll never let it go until tampa clones him and lets him start in all positions.
August 30th, 2025 at 2:26 pm
Joe’s, y’all need to release an article about the MAJOR jersey number switch-up that has occurred today!!
Like 6-7 players switched jersey numbers…
August 30th, 2025 at 2:26 pm
Greg Auman just reported this on X
August 30th, 2025 at 2:41 pm
@ mikebuc
@marunebuc
“We lost a slew of close games and the turnovers were the difference in those games.”
“Totally delusional. we lost a slew of games in general because our defense SUCKED.”
Calm down bud.
That is not what I stated.
What I stated was –
– INTs
– Penalties
– Sacks
– Fumbles
Even if you recover a fumble it is a loss of 3-10 yards and a loss of down…
We had too many drive killers last season and that is how you lose close games.
***I will also note – Not all the “drive killers” were Baker’s fault.
I am hopeful our defense will improve this season.
Please don’t misquote me.
August 30th, 2025 at 2:46 pm
Stats can very well be for winners, especially those with the best stats.
A 17-0 regular season vs 0-17 is a stat, and obviously the stat for losers resides within the latter.
Bucs have two Super Bowl wins, a better stat than Detroit who has yet to appear in the game. Bucs-2, Detroit-0. A stat.
How on earth could anybody proclaim, ‘stats are for losers’?
Stats are just stats, and a measure of performance. They are not confined to losers.
August 30th, 2025 at 2:47 pm
@marinebuc
learn english my man . I literally quoted you so yes that was your quote .
Turnover were not our problem last year. It was opposing offenses that could walk right down the field in under two minutes.
I am very calm . You just are very wrong.
August 30th, 2025 at 2:55 pm
@ mikebuc
“learn english my man . ”
I believe it is you that needs a little help with “English”…
LOL!
August 30th, 2025 at 2:57 pm
Buccaneers Boniz get help, if you don’t get help at Charter please get help
August 30th, 2025 at 3:06 pm
Defense Rules. Thanks for pointing out Philly has had a great defense. Posters here are quick to point out that we have back to backed wins against Philly because they were missing their best receivers. Those receivers wouldn’t have stopped Mayfield from carving up that “renowned defense” for like 6 touchdowns and 70 points or so.
August 30th, 2025 at 3:26 pm
Anyone blaming the qb or the offense for the failures of the past two seasons are not coherent individuals.
Distracted coaching, horrible game management, showing up flat for big games, refusing to cover receivers.
Todd Bolwes.
August 30th, 2025 at 3:27 pm
If the defense improves this year I expect Baler to have fewer turnovers and better stats overall.
August 30th, 2025 at 3:30 pm
Did not win a Super Bowl. That’s it. That’s the standard. Win or go away. 2024 is over. Philly won. Everyone else lost.
August 30th, 2025 at 3:55 pm
View from 132 Says:
August 30th, 2025 at 3:30 pm
Did not win a Super Bowl. That’s it. That’s the standard. Win or go away. 2024 is over. Philly won. Everyone else lost
I’m glad the standards have changed. However I still celebrate every win like it’s a holiday. I remember even our priest from out of town making fun of us when I was a kid in 1988. 2 Superbowl wins is like heaven.
August 30th, 2025 at 4:15 pm
I do not get it. He had what he had. Won the worst divisison in the NFL and advanced to a playoff game. He and Bowles kept it close.
August 30th, 2025 at 4:21 pm
He is Tebow with a better arm.
August 30th, 2025 at 4:35 pm
Grover is correct. I see a lot of Tebow in Baker. Baker has a better arm, and shorter arms.
August 30th, 2025 at 4:35 pm
Couch fan; The article is about how Baker may have had a better season than most think using the historically good third down success rate metric.
August 30th, 2025 at 4:44 pm
Here’s some QB stats : 4212 yards 31 touchdowns, 23 interceptions.
Team finished 11-5 and give up 38 sacks.
He was 29 years old that season = Brett Favre.
Just imagine how good Baker can be with the same offense.and with a defense that doesn’t play soft and with a HC that doesn’t play not to loose.
August 30th, 2025 at 7:05 pm
HC Grover. View from 132. Alot of similarities between Mayfield and Tebow? You guys have not a clue what you’re talking about. I’m gonna try to remember that and although I may have too much time on my hands I don’t want to waste it on that nonsensical drivel.
August 30th, 2025 at 8:12 pm
Baker finished top 10 last season amongst all QBs getting rid of the ball in /<2.5 seconds to throw. Only 3 QBs finished top 10 in both categories, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson & Jayden Daniel.
If Baker wants to be in that group, it’s going to take upping his accuracy on vertical balls and being a lot more deliberate/intentional in the pocket. The short game is our bread and butter, but I think Grizz wanting to be able to lean on the vertical game is a going to take Mayfield improving his game as a more rounded(and consistent) QB.
August 30th, 2025 at 9:01 pm
Don’t see it even a little. Completely different imo.
I see Farve as the best “comp” for Baker…. Tough, talks some shlt, STRONG arm, smart, determined, a playmaker who can be occasionally reckless.
August 30th, 2025 at 9:14 pm
Jack, there is no help for me…I’m a lost cause 😉
.
MikeBuc Says:
“Turnover were not our problem last year.”
Baker Mayfield was tied for the most Interceptions and near the top for fumbles. So you are wrong (in this case), turnovers were an issue.
That said, injuries led to playing inexperienced backups who made mistakes that led to some of those turnovers. They were not all on Mayfield…but they still happened.
August 30th, 2025 at 9:15 pm
Even tied for the most INTs at 17 is not honestly horrible compared to the top INTs in other years…especially concerning Jameis Winston.
August 30th, 2025 at 9:43 pm
Never ceases to amaze how utterly ignorant some are. I am sure you have seen Pro Football Focus (PFF) where all the “professional analysts” all agreed that McMillan did not run his route correctly, causing the fumble. But hey, you don’t have to face anyone and be accountable so just say all the false BS you want over and over again. When YOUR quarterback has the best game out of all the other quarterbacks in the 13 postseason games including the superbowl with a near perfect passer rating of 146.5 and had a completion rate of 83.3% I would talk BS about him too, NOT!! I know it’s hard watching him dominated the UF guy and there is nothing you can do about it. It’s just going to get worse on you because The CREAM KEEPS RISIN….
August 30th, 2025 at 10:04 pm
Buccaneer Bonzai; It was 16 interceptions not 17. Also, he tied for the league lead in total interceptions not interception percentage. More importantly, yourself and others say that he led the league in fumbles with 13, implying that those 13 fumbles were turnovers, conveniently ignoring that only 2 of the fumbles were turnovers, the other 11 were recovered by him or someone else on the Buccaneers. So by my calculation Baker had 18 turnovers in the regular season. So we should use that number when comparing him to other Quarterbacks if you’re interested in a truthful and fair comparison.
August 30th, 2025 at 11:47 pm
Let’s all have a drink and agree that the defense against the pass, especially against the Falcons, has sucked a perfect vacuum for two seasons. That is what holds the team back, as it is a reflection of its dual hat wearing double part time HC/DC where half of himself reports to the other half for performance evaluation.
What could possibly go wrong with such an arrangement?
“Ramirez is a good pass rusher.” Our edge rush sucks. So we cut a good edge rusher. Brilliant.
August 31st, 2025 at 12:16 am
Baker went from 28 tds and 10 ints to 41 tds and 16 ints in one year so of course he can improve. I would say he needs to learn how to read defenses like the best instead of figuring out what they’re doing. Pre snap keys were a super power of Brady and Brees. With his athleticism and dawg mentality I can only imagine how good he’d be if he could do that. I wish dudes would stop blaming him for that fumble because you can see McMillian ran too close it wasn’t even going to be a hand off.