Baker Mayfield Says Bucs Will “Shock” People
August 18th, 2026
Baker Mayfield does not like the noise hovering over his team.
It’s a safe bet the Bucs “vibes are ass” comment from Pat McAfee on ESPN found its way to the Tampa Bay quarterback room.
Today, Joe asked Mayfield to elaborate on his love for playing on the road. Mayfield recently told the 4th And South podcast how he prefers road games — and the Bucs open Week 1 at the Bengals.
Joe asked if Mayfield first saw the 2026 schedule and celebrated opening on the road.
“Yeah. Same thing last year, “Mayfield said. “”You’re with your guys, and it’s just the Bucs against everybody else in that city you’re going to, and so I think it’s a good opportunity for us against the Bengals. I think we’re going to shock a lot of people this year. And so I’m excited.”
Clearly, Mayfield is drawing motivation from the us-against-the-world mentality the road provides. He added that he thinks the Bucs are being slighted and underestimated.
“You can’t avoid it. The TVs everywhere,” Mayfield said. “Everybody’s picking us probably to have a losing record.”
Joe loves how Mayfield invents things to fire himself up. The Bucs are the betting favorite in the NFC South landfill, and Joe would say at least half the national analysts are picking Tampa Bay to win the division.
As for a losing record, Mayfield may be right on that point. Everyone knows a winning record isn’t mandatory in this division.
August 18th, 2026 at 12:25 pm
Hopefully we shock people more than Braswell did.
August 18th, 2026 at 12:26 pm
They shock the world every September; just don’t have the slump.
August 18th, 2026 at 12:29 pm
I’m shocked that Bowles and Licht still have jobs
August 18th, 2026 at 12:35 pm
Stfu always alot of talk and when it comes down to it no action
August 18th, 2026 at 12:37 pm
Zap! Sell dem tix. Every nfl team is now predicted to win SB. ROFl
August 18th, 2026 at 12:42 pm
If this team can remain generally healthy we will kick the snot out of a lot of teams.
August 18th, 2026 at 12:46 pm
Baker talks too Fing much…STFU and go wins games
GO BUCS!!!!
August 18th, 2026 at 12:48 pm
You know what would be shocking if they didn’t have the mid season Bowles slump that they have every year for the last 3 years.
August 18th, 2026 at 12:48 pm
Bakers right- the Bucs are going to shock people. The funniest part will be watching the Bowels critics sprain their ankles jumping back on the bandwagon.
August 18th, 2026 at 12:56 pm
Bucs under Bowles are 8-9, 9-8, 10-7, and 8-9. They can shock the world in one of two ways:
1) Get a 6-11 record or worse . Bowles is fired and Baker gets a small contract or plays elsewhere.
2) Get a 12-5 record or better. Save Bowles and Baker gets a payday.
I’d love for number 2 to happen but I’m pegging them in the 8-9 win range with 10 being the ceiling and 7 the basement.
August 18th, 2026 at 12:59 pm
Lovie Bowles will have the Bucs “Cincinnati Ready”, hopefully keep the Bengals offense under 50 points.
August 18th, 2026 at 1:05 pm
So all the Bucs Forever Super Fans, lets hear your simple prediction for week 1. You are picking them to win are you not. Your such longstanding fans.
August 18th, 2026 at 1:06 pm
Thats exactly what the Raiders said last year.
August 18th, 2026 at 1:07 pm
It’s a tough first game to a Super Bowl contender ,,, that said , Bucs tend to start hot and Cinci tends to start slow ,,,, it’s still hard to see Bucs winning that game though
August 18th, 2026 at 1:07 pm
Haha @Matthew Lawrence
A ton of us aren’t off the Bucs wagon. We are fans. We just wanna shoot the lame horse pulling the wagon and get a different horse that can kick it up a notch.
There won’t be any over reactions. If the Bucs win 11-12 games and win a playoff game or 2 that isn’t vs a team that’s dead in the water (Eagles for Todd’s only win) … then some of us may change our tune and apologize for the Bowles bashing.
I’m putting the odds of that at like 10-1.
August 18th, 2026 at 1:15 pm
We’ll probably lose the cinci game….win the next three 🙂
WE NEED BIG V!!!!!
August 18th, 2026 at 1:16 pm
Since I expect the Bucs to get quite a lot of pressure on Burrow and the Bungles to get virtually no pressure on Baker, I expect the Bucs to win that game pretty handily. As long as no major injuries happen between now and then, that is.
August 18th, 2026 at 1:22 pm
7-10.
Shock me baby!
August 18th, 2026 at 1:26 pm
If the Bucs limit key injuries to their offense, look for the Bucs to win their division and contend for the NFC game, maybe not win but put the 2025 season stench behind them.
August 18th, 2026 at 1:28 pm
11-6 or with some extra injury luck 12-5. The only game I’m worried about early on is the Dallas Thursday night game away on short rest. We have the (slightly) better team but it probably won’t matter if everyone is exhausted/nicked up. So it’s possible we could start 5-1.
**No, I am not delusional.
August 18th, 2026 at 1:32 pm
The thing that’s truly special about this team is the offensive line. If it’s intact, we will run right through most teams. If we’re running really well, then passing becomes much easier too. I expect this team to be dominant on the line of scrimmage on offense and could be dominant there on defense too if Vea plays with the additional outside weapons. A happy Vea could help a lot.
August 18th, 2026 at 1:36 pm
There are 4 games that we will not win: at bears, at lions, at ravens and lambs. Pending health of the other teams.
Season comes down to how you finish in division. You beat up on the division and win 4 of the remaining seven games you’re at 10 wins.
More than likely it’s a split division. That’s 3-7 with 7 games remaining. 5-2 still is a losing record. That’s how hard those four games are against legitimatelg good coaching staffs.
August 18th, 2026 at 1:36 pm
It’s like the old Balboa when it comes to Bain,,, he doesn’t know it’s a dang show ,, he thinks it’s a dang game
August 18th, 2026 at 1:43 pm
I disagree, Obvious. I think we will run all over those teams but still haven’t figured out how to stop the Rams offense. The other 3 games I expect to be close, and I think we beat the Bears and Ravens. Neither one of their defenses is equipped to stop our run game. Lions is a coin flip.
August 18th, 2026 at 1:47 pm
I don’t take the Bengals lightly, I suspect this All World Line that many think the Bucs have. Even though Bengals lost their best O Lineman they have re-tooled nicely with high hopes.
Dexter Lawrence, Boye Mafe, Jonathan Allen, and rookie Cashius Howell all are new additions and will test this O Line of Bucs. We will see, I am picking the Bucs to win though. Hoping Zac Robinson games plan the heck out of it and some how Bowles will cover up the problems the Bucs will have with a under talent defensive backfield going against some All World Receivers.
August 18th, 2026 at 1:49 pm
I meant Losing best D Lineman, not O lineman
August 18th, 2026 at 1:53 pm
We’ve got us a QB here in Tampa that is setting himself up to have a career year. He’s got the perfect amount of experience, confidence, and ability to lead a great team.
Our team is gonna shock some folks this year, but I ain’t one of those folks.
August 18th, 2026 at 1:56 pm
Buster Douglass..Yes sir!
August 18th, 2026 at 1:58 pm
Bengals 31 Bucs 23.
August 18th, 2026 at 2:05 pm
Agreed, Kenton. There’s loads of talent and potential here. Can we actually stay healthy and live up to our talent this year? I sure hope so! I hate to see what could have been awesome seasons continue to go down the drain due to damn injuries!
August 18th, 2026 at 2:07 pm
Note to all Bucs Employees and Players:
STOP using the word “SHOCK “. Not working out too well.
#Brasswell
August 18th, 2026 at 2:09 pm
BA’s Red Pen Says:
August 18th, 2026 at 12:25 pm
Hopefully we shock people more than Braswell did.
—————-
IMO… best comment.
I actually chuckled when I read that. Bravo.
And for those giving Baker crap for talking, he was just answering a question, lighten the h3ll up! The man likes a challenge. Probably gets tired of being at home with the same away crowd. 🫤
August 18th, 2026 at 2:13 pm
I’d be shocked if Kancey and Morrison can make the full 17 game season.
August 18th, 2026 at 2:20 pm
Bucs 34 Bengals 24
Is that what you hope happens Bucs1987? If so, why call yourself Bucs anything? And the Bucs will score more than 23 against that woeful defense. New additions or not.
August 18th, 2026 at 2:29 pm
i’m still floating 9 wins out there…
with a floor of 7-10…and a ceiling of 10 wins, possibly 11…
but my vibe is we are a .500 team…meaning 8-9 or 9-8…
being a homer i will stick with or lean towards 9-8…
but after half a season of terrific and half a season of disaster last year, you really do not know what you’re getting with this squad…
can we be the team pre bye week of last year, or post bye…or just an average .500 team…
also a lot of new faces on defense…
the team is kinda hard to access…
will bucky stink or go back to potentially the idea of a 1500 yard runner…so many questions like that…
will the egg-man stay fizzled out, or be the stud from early last season he displayed…
so many questions…
what if bain and trottier look like scrubs once the real bullets start flying……imagine that…
will zyon still be bored af…
will yaya finally take that next step and no longer keep missing sacks by a thread…
90 questions…and more…
should be a fun year, but i for one don’t really know what to expect…other than we won’t be elite, and we won’t be a bottom tier team like the dolphins and jets
August 18th, 2026 at 3:30 pm
Burrow actually played the first preseason game and spent a good portion of it on his butt. One shot put a little scare into him. If this is their starting offensive-line, then I’ll take the Bucs 31-28 walk off field goal. I may be critical, but when season starts, I’m all in. Unfortunately, some would rather say I told you so instead of winning.
August 18th, 2026 at 3:42 pm
Adam you do kinda know what you’re getting- it’s all based in injuries. Injured this squad sucked last year. With a healthy offensive line it’s a completely different team. If you want to know how the team is going to do, check the injury list. If no offensive linemen or secondary players are on it expect a win. If several offensive linemen or secondary players are on the injury list, expect a loss. That’s been the formula at least lately…
August 18th, 2026 at 3:52 pm
We’ll be shocked if the defense isnt garbage and we dont collapse the way we did last year.
August 18th, 2026 at 3:53 pm
Baker says the Bucs are going to “shock” people.
SHOCK WHO? 😂 Not the Krew.
Some of us have been Baker ride-or-die since Day 1, while the doom-and-gloomers have been measuring his coffin after every bad quarter, waiting three years for him to turn back into a pumpkin.
Go shock THEM, Bake.
Because Baker Mayfield + disrespect + a chip on his shoulder + a road stadium full of people rooting against him = a RECIPE for somebody to have a VERY long afternoon.
Let ’em sleep. Let the talking heads predict losing records. Let the doomers keep typing. Just KEEP THE RECEIPTS.
The Krew already bought stock. We’re not waiting to jump on the bandwagon after the wins start piling up, we’ve BEEN on it Bake! Nothing is more dangerous than a pissed-off, underestimated Baker Mayfield walking into somebody else’s house with something to prove.
We ain’t shocked.
We’re just waiting for the “experts” and doomers to start deleting their old takes. 😂🏴☠️🔥
CINCINNATI… YOU’RE FIRST.
— BoriMex 813
August 18th, 2026 at 3:54 pm
You gotta love Baker !! He clearly wanted a long term contract and tried to get one. Now he’s going to win games and earn that contract !! I can’t wait to watch the Bucs this season !!
Go Bucs !!
August 18th, 2026 at 3:57 pm
Let’s get this party started 😎
August 18th, 2026 at 4:10 pm
So he’s saying that a shocking 6-11 record may be coming? There’s no way this is an 11-6 team so…
August 18th, 2026 at 4:22 pm
It should be a long year without the center of the defensive front to clog up and control that middle. Football is a lot like chess in that he who controls the middle has an advantage.
August 18th, 2026 at 4:29 pm
I mean a losing record will probably still win this atrocious division. It’s happened twice in the last 4 years.
August 18th, 2026 at 4:30 pm
Blah blah blah the shock will be 5 wins instead of 6 were not even to the 2nd pre season game and EE and jmac are day to day injured what a embarrassing show under this coach! Go bucs 2027
August 18th, 2026 at 5:03 pm
I’m not sure what is going to happen this season, but I do know if the offense is healthy, we will win games. If the Bucs start off hot, I’ll guarantee there will be some name changes on this website. Cracks me up!
August 18th, 2026 at 5:12 pm
I actually think Bucs will win on the road week 1
August 18th, 2026 at 5:24 pm
With Bowles in control we will be shocked to have a winning record.