Baker Mayfield “Takes It Personally From A Challenge Standpoint”
March 30th, 2026
What kind of giant Mike Evans chip is now firmly implanted on Baker Mayfield’s shoulder?
Joe asked Todd Bowles that this morning in Phoenix before sitting down with Bowles at the NFC Coaches Breakfast.
After all, Mayfield seems to let even the tiniest slight or implied slight anger and motivate him. It’s a fuel Mayfield enjoys.
This time, it was Mayfield’s top target leaving for what he felt was a better team and more opportunity with 49ers QB Brock Purdy.
“Bake keeps a chip on his shoulder; he keeps several chips on his shoulder. He and Mike were very close. I don’t think he takes it personally from that standpoint; I think he takes it personally from a challenge standpoint that he can still get it done,” Bowles said. “I think those are the chips that everybody are going to carry with them. It’s not the fact that we did lose a great one — because we did. It’s the face that we got to prove that we can still win without the great one.”
Winning without Evans is something the Bucs have struggled to do historically, but they were 4-4 without Evans last season, including a thrilling shootout at Seattle.
March 30th, 2026 at 12:55 pm
Warning Alert! “Evans Overload” incoming!!!! Duck and Cover.
March 30th, 2026 at 12:57 pm
If Baker Mayfield is the Bucs starting QB:
– The Bucs need a top 10 defense
– The Bucs need a top 5 run game
– The Bucs need a top 5 special teams unit
– The Bucs need a top 5 offensive line
Unless we can surround Baker Mayfield with a dominant team the Bucs have zero chance at WINNING a Super Bowl.
March 30th, 2026 at 1:00 pm
Chips on his shoulders? Bowles will likely eat those chips with some dip.
Talk is cheap. Where were those “chips” during the 2-7 slide?
Mayfield was passing out brutal Int’s like bags of free Funyuns down the stretch.
Did the Glazers buy this website out?
March 30th, 2026 at 1:06 pm
Zac knows Baker isn’t a Top QB
He worked with Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix
So Zac knows the many challenges that lies ahead
March 30th, 2026 at 1:06 pm
@Lynchmob, remember Baker was “injured”. yet there have been zero articles on the procedures he had to “fix” his “injuries” during the offseason…
March 30th, 2026 at 1:17 pm
You idiots, we are lucky to stumble into signing Mayfield. Look at the Vikings- -they would love to have him. Cards and other teams as well.
March 30th, 2026 at 1:21 pm
Same as any other quarterback, Marine.
March 30th, 2026 at 1:23 pm
Really top 10s-15s would do in some things. However, qbs don’t win the Super Bowl on bad teams. See the Buffalo Bills.
March 30th, 2026 at 1:45 pm
Some guy called us idiots and said we’re lucky to have Baker whose offense went 2-7 in the final playoff push. We’re lucky to have that along with the 4th qtr turnovers and can’t find another QB to do better. This is the type of “fan” sane individuals have to deal with. Baker with a chip means he’ll press and make even more mistakes. Baker will be injured by week 6 and he’ll still start because he’ll give the Bucs the “best chance to win” even though the team will be losing.
This season will look like last season after the bye. Why? Well the Bucs have Bowles and Baker, the dynamic duo that always finds a way to lose.
March 30th, 2026 at 1:51 pm
Nothing is going to change, Mike leaving isn’t going to elevate his game.
March 30th, 2026 at 1:58 pm
Bee says:Baker with a chip means he’ll press and make even more mistakes.
BINGO!!!!
he had a chip on his shoulder the entire month of DEC…..how’d that work out lol
GO BUCS!!!!
March 30th, 2026 at 2:07 pm
I’m so sick of the chip on the shoulder thing. Where was that when the team lost 7 out of the last 9 games to lose this putrid division? It’s getting old. Just win games man
March 30th, 2026 at 2:07 pm
Marine Buc Says:
March 30th, 2026 at 12:57 pm
If Baker Mayfield is the Bucs starting QB:
– The Bucs need a top 10 defense
– The Bucs need a top 5 run game
– The Bucs need a top 5 special teams unit
– The Bucs need a top 5 offensive line
Unless we can surround Baker Mayfield with a dominant team the Bucs have zero chance at WINNING a Super Bowl.
==================================
Hey genius, the Bucs had none of those things last year and still very nearly made the playoffs. SuperBowl teams generally have sound defenses. Bucs defense notwithstanding RodManureMunch claims to the contrary was pathetic in 2025. Hard to know what was worse the 3rd string OG’s, special teams, or a pathetic pass defense.
March 30th, 2026 at 2:22 pm
Ever notice how red in the face Baker is, to start a game? It might help if he weened himself off the amonia.
March 30th, 2026 at 2:37 pm
Bucmike17. Where was Baker the last 9 games? Patriots-3 touchdown passes, a field goal, zero turnovers, and our defense gave up 4 tds of between 55-82 yards. That’s one. Hung 4 touchdowns and 2 field goals against Buffalo and lost. That’s 2. Hung a 28-14 lead on the Falcons in the 4th quarter and the Falcons scored 2 tds and a field goal in the fourth quarter. They had one pick, which was like a punt seeing it forced the Falcons to have to go 65 yards with it. That’s 3. Mike Evans failed to execute, Baker executed perfectly, final pick against Panthers in game Baker got the ball down 3 with under 2 minutes where Baker threw us 50 yards downfield in 45 seconds before Mike decided it was time to take a wet brain fart. That’s 4. Baker Mayfield is the best QB in this division. He did all of this with a head coach fighting not to lose and an OC who was instructed to tone down our offense- partly due to most of our OLine and receivers being on the sidelines. Baker has played the same way his whole life. Consistency, injuries, height, immaturity, are things people eager to knock Mayfield down a notch want to talk about. Those are people that don’t know the game of football from the crack in their a$$. People like you, Bucmike17.
March 30th, 2026 at 2:52 pm
2 wins in those 9 so their are 6 Bucmike. Let’s call the Rams game where they scored tds every time they touched the ball in the first half and clearly, out of pure charity, took the foot off the gas. That’s 7 of the 9 games. Dolphins in a rainstorm? I’m thinking Wirfs was out, considering Baker got hit so hard in the back in a second and a half that knocked loose a fumble in a 20-17 loss. Their rookie QB smoked our defense for 17 points in the first half. That’s 8 Bucmike. Let’s just finish up here. Ok? Saints. Another rookie QB. Another rainstorm. Saints QB looked like Josh Allen- 2 long td runs, making Lavonte and Sirvocea look like high schoolers. That’s our season. Thank God for Baker Mayfield or this team would have been a 2 or 3 win team these last 3 years.
March 30th, 2026 at 2:57 pm
The best offensive player in Buccaneer history just told Todd that he sucks, and the Clueless Wonder is oblivious, while vowing to change things without any substance.
You couldn’t win with Mike, Todd, you’re sure not gonna win without him.
March 30th, 2026 at 3:01 pm
“Mike Evans failed to execute, Baker executed perfectly, final pick against Panthers in game Baker got the ball down 3 with under 2 minutes where Baker threw us 50 yards downfield in 45 seconds before Mike decided it was time to take a wet brain fart.”
Probably another reason Mike didn’t care about leaving, running routes than having to flip sides and play defense on the same exact rep has got to be tiring.
March 30th, 2026 at 3:07 pm
“I’m thinking Wirfs was out, considering Baker got hit so hard in the back in a second and a half that knocked loose a fumble in a 20-17 loss. Their rookie QB smoked our defense for 17 points in the first half.”
And Baker that lead an offense that sat on it’s 7 points from it’s first possession and didn’t score a TD until it’s very last possession. We allowed 3 points in the entire 2nd half, a total of 20 points for the game and our offense didn’t generate any points(or much yardage) on 7 of it’s 10 possessions in this game. Well, except for the 3 turnovers lol
March 30th, 2026 at 3:18 pm
Here is hoping the increasing weight to the chip on his shoulder gets us to 12 playoff wins. I want the good Baker, not the bad injured (trying to do too much…playing with a chip on shoulder) Baker.