Will Baker Mayfield Grow From His 2025 Struggles?
February 3rd, 2026
Tom Brady speaks.
Tom Brady was talking yesterday.
Yes, despite co-owning the Raiders and serving as its franchise overlord, and working as a FOX game analyst, starring in commercials and having several business interests, Brady occasionally finds time for the Let’s Go! podcast he founded with Jim Gray.
Brady was talking on SiriusXM about the growth of Seahawks QB Sam Darnold (a quarterback Brady didn’t want last offseason) and his rise to a Super Bowl level.
Brady noted how Darnold has several great players around him and, in what sounded like a rare unscripted moment from Brady, he referenced how he chose the Bucs in 2020 because he wanted to “play with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.” Brady mentioned no other Buccaneers.
Interesting to Joe was Brady lecturing on how quarterbacks should become hardnosed after dealing with personal setbacks and team struggles. That got Joe thinking of Baker Mayfield.
Of course, Darnold has had a journey very similar to that of Mayfield, his 2018 draft classmate.
“Sam’s now taken advantage of his opportunity,” Brady said. “And Sam’s really a football player. He’s tough hardnosed guy. I think he’s built up some resilience from his time in the NFL. He’s become more mentally tough to face the adversities, and that’s the mark of any great player. You just don’t learn from your wins; the reality is you learn more from your failures than you do from your wins.
“If you can have enough mental toughness to grow your own self-confidence from your losses, you’re gonna be hardened. You’re gonna be much more prepared for, you know, being the leader of an organization. Because you’re gonna realize that the values inside of you of overcoming things when they don’t go your way are the most important things to winning.”
So how much will Mayfield be “hardened,” to use Brady’s word, from the Bucs’ collapse of 2025? How much better will Mayfield become? How much more prepared will he be to tackle adversity next season?
If Mayfield is the player the Bucs think he is, he should have a heck of a 2026 season, and find ways to overcome the Bucs’ propensity for midseason implosions.
February 3rd, 2026 at 10:06 am
I don’t know, will he get some help on the interior part of the offensive line? Let’s see how he does with 5 starters instead of third stringers. I’d put money on him being better!
February 3rd, 2026 at 10:09 am
bucnjim Says:
February 3rd, 2026 at 10:06 am
I don’t know, will he get some help on the interior part of the offensive line? Let’s see how he does with 5 starters instead of third stringers. I’d put money on him being better
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Of course.
February 3rd, 2026 at 10:15 am
Joe: “Will Baker Mayfield Grow From His 2025 Struggles?” Yes, Bake will learn not to have two third-team guards in front of him, and Bake will learn not to scramble for first downs. He’ll learn not to hurt his knee, left shoulder, and right shoulder. He’ll learn to avoid first-time play callers. He’ll learn to score on every possession because he can’t coach the defense to keep giving up leads.
February 3rd, 2026 at 10:16 am
Match will be back so there’s your help
February 3rd, 2026 at 10:16 am
Mauch*
February 3rd, 2026 at 10:29 am
Deja vu anyone?
“This year Jameis will learn from throwing all those game losing INTs.”
Baker had 4 out of 5 games in a row he lost with a late INT. Heroic plays followed by boneheaded decisions. Bucs Fans blame everyone but the QB for years.
Maybe Baker will get LASIK next.
Seen this show. New circus, same monkeys.
February 3rd, 2026 at 10:39 am
He’ll learn not to hand off on 1st down every series.
February 3rd, 2026 at 10:50 am
3-14 baby no more Bowles, welcome to Tampa Arch
February 3rd, 2026 at 10:55 am
Mayfield was hard-nosed enough to play through injury and keep Teddy Bridgewater off the field. As a result, we had a slim chance at the playoffs after playing the last game. Under Bridgewater, things would have been much worse. Yes, the losses would have been there regardless, but injuries and turnovers would have been much worse.
February 3rd, 2026 at 11:01 am
SlyPirate Says:
“Baker had 4 out of 5 games in a row he lost with a late INT. Heroic plays followed by boneheaded decisions”
And yet he had only 11 picks this year, which means he doesn’t make boneheaded decisions. He had a defense lose the lead on him. They were incapable of stopping opponents from scoring. He had no choice but to take risks.
And, unfortunately, his injured throwing shoulder and injured ribs affected his accuracy.
Don’t make the mistake of giving up on him. He proved he is capable of MVP play when healthy.
February 3rd, 2026 at 11:14 am
50% trolls smh
February 3rd, 2026 at 11:14 am
Good article and great question. Baker is as responsible for that 2-7 finish as Bowles or anyone else is. Good QB’s don’t let their teams go in to a slide like that. I would not be extending his contract so quickly. Short term extension? Maybe. But he needs to find consistency in his play and I haven’t seen it yet. Don’t want to hear about injuries either. If you are hurt that badly, then sit out. Otherwise, you are a QB that went 2-7 down the stretch in a garbage division. Sam Darnold? He is in the Super Bowl. Do you have one in you Baker? I am not sure you do…prove me wrong.
February 3rd, 2026 at 11:26 am
Maker did have 11 interceptions last year, though it was really nine because two of the 11 were Otton literally having his lunch taken away
February 3rd, 2026 at 11:33 am
If our O-line and QB stay healthier and our young WRs (Egbuka, Johnson, & JMac) continue to get better, the TE position is upgraded, and the O-line depth is upgraded, the Bucs should be able to score 30+ points per game.
February 3rd, 2026 at 11:35 am
It wasn’t just Baker who struggled after the bye. The whole team went into the Bowles, I mean bowl.
February 3rd, 2026 at 11:41 am
I think it will appear that way with a better O Line and OC.
February 3rd, 2026 at 11:56 am
He may learn to forego an extension and play for mcvay…
February 3rd, 2026 at 11:56 am
If injury was part of the struggles,.maybe he will learn to let the backup play a game or 2. Better to lose a couple and come back healthy and have a better chance of winning.
February 3rd, 2026 at 12:00 pm
If he stays healthy he will be back to form.
February 3rd, 2026 at 12:06 pm
Ah Bucs fans covering their evaluation eyes, because they like a guy.
So it’s the same old, same old.
Defense couldn’t hold a lead, even though we struggled to score on per game, per half, per quarter and per drive basis, but sure. Reminder that we punted almost twice as much as we touched paint, but “leads were blown”
Oh the OL was banged up, they started the season that way, didn’t stop us from performing at a high level occasionally.
Oh he only threw 11 picks, yea but more than half(6) of them came in the 2nd half of 6 different games.
7 of 11 came while trailing, so you struggle to score and cough the ball up.
Never been highly consistent or efficient, evidenced by 349 passes being thrown from Detroit to the season finale, and only completing 54% of those passes.
100 starts into a career, no real glaring improvements from earlier in his career in terms of his play to, tendencies, strengths, and weaknesses might lead some to believe Baker has maxed his potential.
Some may think 2024 was and will remain the best season of his career as an individual player.
One thing Sam Darnold will be whether he wins the SB or not, is he’s going to get paid. Minnesota just fired their GM, not saying it’s the only reason but letting Darnold go to ride with JJ McCarthy had something to do with it.
February 3rd, 2026 at 12:16 pm
Yes. It was the reason Brady chose the Bucs… Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Though, I don’t know who he chose the Bucs over!? Chicago!? I guess there could’ve been maybe, one or two others!? But, WHO!? There weren’t very many places left for HIM to “choose” from. We already know the top 3 teams on his list wasn’t an option for him. San Fran, Oakland/Vegas, and Miami. Having those two WR’s was definitely an added bonus. Especially, considering what he’d been forced to deal with in New England for YEARS, with the lack of WR talent. But my question is WHERE else was HE going!? There weren’t very many teams open to signing him. Most teams already had their starting QB in place. The others preferred building with a younger guy, and believed that Brady was mostly done with. He had A LOT to prove and Bucs just happened to be the only logical place left that made any sense.
February 3rd, 2026 at 12:38 pm
Ya kinda stretching the yarn. How much more adversity does he have to face? He’s had 8 OCs, been passed around the league like a frat house wh0re, allegedly played 2 seasons with significant injuries, has seen the mountain top as a #1 Heisman winning pick and the valleys of be cut for the likes of Watson and Young, and has experienced a few losing seasons. The guy is starting to look like a bag of Frito Lays he has so many chips on his shoulder. I mean really, when’s the lesson gonna sink in? Intangibles are just that, a statistical myth, not Ws
February 3rd, 2026 at 12:39 pm
Baker was healthy, with a healthy OL, a healthy Evans and an exceptional OC in 2024 and how did that work out in the playoffs? Defense held the other team to 23 pts but that was too much for the offense.
That patchwork OL in 2025 that everyone loves to hate on was ranked 14th in time to throw and time to pressure. Better than the 49ers, Falcons, Lions, Chiefs and Chargers. Not bad for 2nd and 3rd stringers but yall dont like that stat.
All the excuses will come tumbling down this season. No matter what you think about Baker, he isnt the long term solution for the Bucs.
February 3rd, 2026 at 12:45 pm
The Bucs are regressing every year with Baker.
2023: Got to the second round. Not a bad start.
2024: First round loss at home to a rookie QB. Not a good look.
2025: Lost division. Collapse from 6-2 to 8-9. No playoffs. Unacceptable.
Baker does not deserve all the blame for 2025.
He does not control then defense which is the biggest reason for 2025.
He doesn’t pick the players, that is Licht and Bowles.
Injuries to the OL were monumental and he was under siege.
Bilgewater as the backup was a decision that should have cost jobs. But it did not.
2026 is put up or shut up time. For everyone involved.
February 3rd, 2026 at 12:59 pm
The real question here is whether he can overcome Todd Bowles. Can anyone? Can Todd Bowles overcome Todd Bowles?
February 3rd, 2026 at 1:01 pm
Todd Bowles is the master of the cover nobody defense.
February 3rd, 2026 at 1:51 pm
I think this is dead on point for Baker, and the answer will probably define his career. He has tons of heart and never quits, but he does seem to get flustered when things go badly, and that will cost you at this level.
February 3rd, 2026 at 2:04 pm
No Baker is will be 32 years old he is who he is.
February 3rd, 2026 at 2:07 pm
For the record, the two players I had highest rated in free agency and wanted most to replace Brady… were Mayfield and then Darnold. Both were way better than they showed in their previous destinations. Seems I was right… again.
February 3rd, 2026 at 2:19 pm
imo, the biggest difference between Sam and Baker is maturity!!!!
thats the “growth” Brady is referring to….
i cant say that Baker is mature or has shown “mental growth” if hearing the name “Kevin” still gets his blood boiling lol….the BUCS not winning the division and a playoff game should be ALL the motivation he needs….
with that said, i dont see baker getting any better….he is who he is…very talented but immature
GO BUCS!!!!
February 3rd, 2026 at 2:22 pm
Yea. He’s 30 years old. Yeah, he’s top 3 in the league the last 3 years in TD passes and yards passing and running for first downs. I’m pretty sure he’s the most efficient QB I’ve seen in the playoffs. And he’s one of 2 QBs to start 51 games the last 3 seasons. He is who he is. Sure enough.
February 3rd, 2026 at 2:24 pm
Oneilbuc Says:
February 3rd, 2026 at 2:04 pm
No Baker is will be 32 years old he is who he is.
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And you are who you are, Oneilbuc. At the end of a great 2026 season, Baker will be off to the Rams to finish his career. You, Oneilbuc, we hope get your dream QB, Shedeur Sanders. You deserve him.
February 3rd, 2026 at 2:29 pm
Lynch. I’m tired of the excuses every one gives Baker Mayfield it’s never his fault it’s always some one else fault. He’s not a franchise quarterback and y’all trying so hard to make him one and he will be 32 years old at this point he’s a bridge quarterback.
February 3rd, 2026 at 2:33 pm
Gipper. Baker ain’t going to the rams they don’t want him as a starter he’s a bridge quarterback. And it’s time for you and the rest of you Baker fan boys to except the truth about your quarterback. And as for Shadure Sanders he’s still a young quarterback he can get better but Baker Mayfield can’t he what he is a bridge quarterback lol 🤣🤣.
February 3rd, 2026 at 2:42 pm
Oneilbuc,
When you go “lol”, remember no one is laughing with you, they are laughing at you.
February 3rd, 2026 at 3:19 pm
Oneilbuc,
Please translate your last sentence: “And as for Shadure Sander’s he’s still a young quarterback he can get better but Baker Mayfield can’t he what he is a bridge quarterback lol….”
You mean Baker, the guy who has the second highest TD pass total in the NFL over the last 3 years, all spent with Tampa?
February 3rd, 2026 at 3:21 pm
Yeah that’s right Bee!!
Because it is sooo easy to become a top 5 quarterback in the NFL.
February 3rd, 2026 at 3:41 pm
The most reliable path to the superbowl is to have either a top 5 quarterback and a top 10 HC or a top 5 coach with a top 10 quarterback. Well we have a top 5 and top 10 quarterback depending on the year but we DONOT have a HC that fits into that category. So all the time you sad “fans” spend blameshifting, it’s not the quarterback that’s the problem and deep down you have to know that. We are good to go at quarterback.
February 3rd, 2026 at 4:24 pm
Joe in my dream world the coaches would let you come into a film session breakdown and explain what the heck happened to the offense the last part of the season, then you could give these nitwits the real story. I know for sure some of those interceptions are on Baker. I know other hiccups are on other players and a breakdown of what should of happened would sure SHUT UP some fools on here. Well I will take that back, Fools don’t shut up, they just keep going, Right Munch and OneilBuc.
February 3rd, 2026 at 4:30 pm
Gipper. Shadure Sanders is a young quarterback going to his second year and Baker Mayfield is on his 8th year at the age of 32 . Shadure Sanders will be the Browns quarterback and Baker Mayfield has showed he’s not a franchise quarterback. He’s has proved he can’t get you to a Superbowl regardless of what team he has around him. In Cleveland he had everything and still couldn’t do it. He the best defense, running game, o line and receivers and a good TE and he still couldn’t do nothing but let me guess he was injured lol 🤣🤣 that’s the Baker excuse he’s always hurt when he plays bad lol 🤣🤣.
February 3rd, 2026 at 4:36 pm
This franchise honored 50th Bucs edition with an epic collapse where everyone had a hand, including Baker. But I dont blame Baker as much as I blame what happened around him. Football is the ultimate team game and the injuries to Wirfs, Goedke, Evans, Bucky, Mauch, Bresden, etc was too much to overcome. It was obvious that Baker was playing through injury as well. He will learn from it and I am sure the Bucs offense, assuming we are reasonably healthy next season, should perform better. But playing Capt Obvious for a minute, Baker will need to put together a great season and scores a crap ton of points because as things stand now we have the same two guys driving the bus in TB and JL. I have NO faith whatsoever in defensive replenishment happening this off-season. Offense is just 1/3 of the puzzle. Bucs need to rebuild defense and play good special teams so we can play complementary football. Again – NO confidence in this regime.
February 3rd, 2026 at 4:53 pm
“Well I will take that back, Fools don’t shut up, they just keep going, Right Munch and OneilBuc.”
You’re mad at the wrong people.
Be mad at Baker, for giving any of us who think his floor and ceiling are the same height plenty of validation to keep talking like he’s a vegan Johnny Manziel or Kevin Kolb with better PR or sober Mark Sanchez 🤣
February 3rd, 2026 at 6:16 pm
WBLoser,
You are in good company with Munch and an illiterate Oneilbuc. Proving that birds of a feather are illiterate together.
Meanwhile, we will just keep reminding you that Mayfield has thrown for 95TD’s in his 3 years in Tampa. Only QB who has thrown for more is Goff with a significanty more talented and better coached team.
February 3rd, 2026 at 7:16 pm
Baker is a leader, a fighter and is definitely the quarterback to lead the Buccaneers in 2026 !! Oh I forgot to say Baker is a winner !!
I am confident Baker has grown from last year’s miscues. Let’s face it, we lost a lot of games because of the lack of effective pass coverage and quarterback pressure on defense, and terrible special teams play. Next, add Grizzard our OC, who couldn’t handle the pressure, and there’s a recipe for failure that doomed our extremely talented Bucs !!
Who knows where the Bucs would have ended up had we beaten the Eagles, Patriots, and the Bills. We certainly scored enough points to beat all of them.
Go Bucs !!
February 3rd, 2026 at 7:39 pm
For those saying no one blames Baker, we’ll, that’s laughable. I’d say it’s more of a mixed bag. There’s quite a few people that like Baker, but then there’s a fair share that hate him and absolutely blame him for everything, which is just ignorant people wanting to find a scapegoat for a very mediocre season by the WHOLE team this year.
Baker did shine in certain moments, giving us some great memories this season. Anyone remember the Texans game? Wild that he basically carried the entire team on his shoulders in that game. But, he also made some crucial errors in a few games. But to say he lost 4 straight all by himself is a ridiculous statement, especially when the defense usually gave up most of our leads this year. I guess people on here didn’t intelligently, and without bias, watch and dissect every snap like I did. Either that, or they just don’t understand how football works. Lol.
February 3rd, 2026 at 9:42 pm
The same old Onei and haters alike saying the same bs. You said he can’t take any team to the superbowl. But the TRUTH IS, he is the only quarterback in the history of the NFL to take a 1-31 team and in 3 years make it to the AFC Divisional Playoff game. Which he really won if you take the ridiculous targeting no call that was obviously done to keep KC in the playoffs. KC had to take away that Cleveland touchdown because KC WAS going to get beat by the 1-31 CLEVELAND BROWNS, so the refs all got together and did away with the touchdown. It all turned into a scandal because anyone with eyes that are connected to a brain knows it was an illegal hit and the ref was standing 5 feet away, he saw it and so did the world, in
S L O W M O T I O N. So the reality is Baker took the worst team in league history further faster than any other quarterback. But Onei you have the nerve to say he can’t do it no matter who he has around him. Either pure hate or pure stupidity.
February 3rd, 2026 at 9:58 pm
“How much will Baker Mayfield be hardened,…?”
In my opinion this question is somewhat irrelevant as Mayfield, relative to most peers, has been to hell-and-back with challenges during his whole college and professional career.
He came to Tampa Bay tough, hardened. Don’t question his character and resolve.
February 5th, 2026 at 1:34 am
Depends on o line talent
It’s on Jason