Baker Mayfield’s Bucs
September 6th, 2026
New big dog.
The past couple of years it was clear that the Bucs locker room was prowled by two legendary veterans: Mike Evans and Lavonte David.
Oh, Baker Mayfield was there, too. But even he seemed to defer to David. And while Evans was mostly a quiet guy, most of the players would step to the side when Evans had something to say.
Respect.
But now, David and Evans are gone. David is retired and Evans bolted to San Francisco.
So the Bucs are now Baker Mayfield’s team. And from the words of Bucs coach Todd Bowles recently on SiriusXM NFL Radio, there is no room that Mayfield is not welcome in, offensive or defensive position rooms.
“He’s so special,” Bowles said of Mayfield’s leadership. “He spends time with the defense as well as the offense and different position groups, all the way around.
“You can really appreciate that about him. He has a way of getting everybody going without getting on their nerves — and he has a way of getting on people’s nerves and getting them going. But he has a good feel for both [sides of the line of scrimmage].
He’s great to be around. He’s an outstanding leader. He’s the pulse of our offense.”
How important is Mayfield to the Bucs? Without Mayfield’s presence in the locker room, Bowles said, the Bucs are limited.
“You know, I don’t think we can go far without him,” Bowles said.
That’s saying a lot. Even though Bowles runs the defense, he seems to believe that it’s not the defense but Mayfield and his intangibles that can carry the Bucs far.
September 6th, 2026 at 8:07 am
Sounds like there may be a deal in the near future. Bucs like to make splash signings so maybe right before the first game. Just a guess though. I doubt they wait until the end of the season.
September 6th, 2026 at 8:08 am
Here come the Baker haters…
same ‘ol reteric.
September 6th, 2026 at 8:10 am
Baker’s leadership style: encourage you, irritate you, inspire you, then headbutt you with a helmet on. This isn’t Baker Mayfield playing quarterback for the Buccaneers anymore. It’s the Tampa Bay Bakerneers.
September 6th, 2026 at 8:46 am
Good article on Baker in the Athletic – everything rides on 6 – everything – the defense is pretty solid but not dominant, yet – if 6 stays healthy the Bucs will be ok
September 6th, 2026 at 8:52 am
Yeah all that talk with a coach who shouldn’t be a HC because he’s better as a DC and a quarterback that has choked in every big game he’s played in with the game on the line. And not to mention 5 and 6 games losing streaks every year with this quarterback and HC . And now with a OC that was trash last year. I’m looking at the quarterbacks coming out next year and I saw at least 7 quarterbacks that come in and play like Baker or better as a rookie.
September 6th, 2026 at 9:07 am
VV and LVD were good players but not leaders. Hopefully, we have better players on defense, more passionate and more accountable. Even LVD loafed last year.
September 6th, 2026 at 9:09 am
If Bake can learn to get on the ground instead of taking those big shots when he runs , then we have a chance , but if he continues to not protect himself, not so much.
September 6th, 2026 at 9:22 am
I’m sorry, was dime store Lovie speaking?
September 6th, 2026 at 9:28 am
Everyone knows the QB is the most important player
But, this fanbase gives Baker all of the credit when we’re winning
When we lose, it’s everyone fault except Baker
TB12 is the best that ever did it
When his team loses, he blame himself
When his team wins, he gives credit to all involved
That’s the leadership that players respect in the NFL
This fanbase is a group of backwards thinkers
September 6th, 2026 at 9:41 am
I’m just glad all the arguments can come to an end soon.
There are Baker lovers that think he’s a ” top 5 QB._
There are Baker haters that think he “sucks”..
Somewhere in-between lies the truth.
Some can’t stand Bowles and blame him anytime anything negative happens Buc related.
Some think he’s can lead this team to a Superbowl.
Somewhere in between most likely holds the truth.
After the games are played on this fine football season, trolls and haters will either disappear and/or change their names. I’ve watched to for decades.
Let the games begin
September 6th, 2026 at 9:58 am
Baker is probably our MVP for sure. I couldn’t believe watching the Dolphins game how he threw two dumb interceptions and fumbled the ball all in the second half. I think it’s hard to demand over $50 million when you pull stuff like that he’s got to eliminate the mistakes not now but like in week 16 through 18 he’s gotta finish better
September 6th, 2026 at 9:58 am
Loved that piece in the Atlantic! The word is rhetoric. Seems as if most disgruntled Bucs fans never made it past third grade.
September 6th, 2026 at 10:04 am
This is what I don’t understand about the Baker worship …
Career Primetime “Under the Lights”
Record: Jameis Winston 2-5. Mayfield 1-9
Passing yards: Winston 1942. Mayfield 2246
TDS: Winston 14. Mayfield 17
Interceptions: Winston 6. Mayfield 11
Passer Rating: Winston 94.1. Mayfield 83.6
There you have it. Not hate, just some primetime stats. With those in mind, however, I’m just asking for help understanding the Baker worship. Why was Jameis such a failure then while Baker is some the Teflon Diety?
We all criticized Jameis, and yes, Baker is the overall better QB between the two. But the primetime records speak for themselves. When Jameis threw a pic he was an idiot, but when Baker does it the OL or receiver screwed up. Why was Jameis critiqued one way and Baker another?
Why are those who rightly criticize Baker considered haters, and those who lambast Jameis knowledgeable football fans?
I want this team to win! And I think Baker is going to have to greatly up his game for that to happen.
Does that make me a hater? No! Only a Bucs fan.
September 6th, 2026 at 10:10 am
Can’t be a hater if you can objectively prove why the current HC is not the right guy for the job. I’ve analyzed Bowles career against previous Bucs HCs and he ranks as #5, with Arians, Dungy, Gruden and McKay clearly having better stats and careers. There is a big gap between Bowles and McKay. Bowles is just the best of the remaining coaches making him average. No surprise there. This is what we have seen consistently during his tenure. This season has to be his last chance to excel. Stats don’t lie!
September 6th, 2026 at 11:07 am
JA .. you answered your own question when you said “ and yes, Baker is the overall better QB between the two.”
Simple as that. I appreciated Jameis arm and his gunslinger attitude but primetime aside… 30 INTs and all his ridiculous antics (in game and out) were too much.
September 6th, 2026 at 11:12 am
I met a Buc fan yesterday that actually thinks the Bucs are forcing Baker out. I was almost as rude to her as some of the commenters on this here corner of the interweb. How can anyone think that this franchise doesn’t want Baker to do well.
September 6th, 2026 at 11:14 am
Jameis started 89 games in his 11 years. His record is 36-53 in those games.
Baker started 123 games in his 8 years. His record is 60-63 in those years.
Jameis threw 113 picks in those 89 games.
Baker has thrown 101 picks in those 123 games.
Winston did dumb shlt not befitting the team leader.
Baker doesn’t do dumb shlt not befitting a team leader.
JA. There’s so much more, and I mean it only gets uglier for Jameis. You’ve gone bat shlt, and not just a little bit.
September 6th, 2026 at 11:35 am
I’m not a Baker hater, I’m a skeptic. I’m rooting for him every time he hits the field but insert whatever stats you want to throw at me, and all I see with my eyes is a .500 QB, that can’t figure out how to find that next gear when he needs it the most.
I appreciate the plays he does make, but what good is stiff arming Bolsa in an electric play for a first down, then being gifted a trip all the way down to the 5-yard line and yet stall for 3 pts. That is essentially how Baker’s career has gone thus far. Lot flash, but the finish is just too soft.
Baker and these Bucs tend to thrive in underdog status, and yet after starting 4-0 last season, the national media takes notice and you’re no longer underdogs, and that’s when we figure out how to lose games. And no, Baker is not balling during our duds. It’s amazing how this team figures out how to play to the level of its worst unit. If we’re losing games consistently while hanging 30 pts on our opponents, you then can continue to point out how bad the defense has been but putting an already struggling unit in bad field position, or turning the ball over and putting them back on the field sooner than later, isn’t exactly helping either.
September 6th, 2026 at 11:48 am
pay this man
September 6th, 2026 at 11:48 am
So now all we need to do is wait for the real games to start, and this sh!t to continue. However Baker plays, the haters will hate and the fanbois will drool. In my opinion, it won’t make any difference.
The Bucs (Glazers) don’t want Baker and are never going to offer him anything other than a below market contract with little guarantees. Baker will not accept that kind of deal. So what happens?
IMO – irrespective of how he plays, they will do a tag and trade. They will ‘try’ to bundle Baker and their bottom half of the draft #1 for a higher #1 pick hoping to get a new QB. They can eat the accelerated $30M because they will have no highly paid QB. They get all of Baker’s future dead money off the books in a year they can afford it.
Then Bucs fans can look forward to a 2027 season with an inexperienced QB, new HC & maybe GM. They may keep the GM if all this nonsense is coming directly from the Glaziers. Hard to blame him for doing what he was told, although I would argue he should be gone as well just based on the roster.
September 6th, 2026 at 11:49 am
Zoo, Good post. That aligns pretty closely with how I feel about Baker. We’ve just got to close that Gap that still exists. This team is too streaky, both positive and negative.
JA, noting The prime Time games has been done. Plenty of times. And though there is some relevance there, the majority of our games are not prime time, so I’m not sure why you chose that metric. And as someone else noted, you ended up answering your own question.
September 6th, 2026 at 12:01 pm
I’m a long time Bucs fan
I’m not a fan of individual players
When players are stinking the field, they need to be benched
Todd Bowles deserves most of the blame for last season failures
Because he refused to bench Baker, Bucky, LVD
Those three players were the main reason for the meltdown
They were horrible, their play were disgusting
If you think differently, go back, and watch the films
People lie all of the time, films don’t lie
September 6th, 2026 at 12:20 pm
Lakeland. Baker played disgusting, like Bucky and LVD. And those 3 were responsible for our meltdown?
You are 100% correct- the film don’t lie. But you do, Lakeland.
September 6th, 2026 at 12:32 pm
With Todd Bowles speaking how special Mayfield is with both the offensive and defensive players, what’s holding up the Glazers in writing that big check. IIs it show me time – win the NFC South division and get to the NFC Championship game. If the Bucs are healthy for the playoffs and play well Mayfield will be playing out his remaining year as a Buc for life.
September 6th, 2026 at 12:39 pm
After scanning the comments in this article I fail to see even one Baker lover comment. What I do see are the comments from Bucs “fans” that, to sum it up, place all the blame on Todd and Baker. There have been many attempts to use statistics for interceptions thrown and the like causing a loss. Where were you when the great Tom Brady couldn’t win a Wild Card game? It is , after all, the QB’s fault for every loss.
Mayfield had a relatively poor year last year after a great start to the season. The team had a relatively poor year last year after losing most of the offensive line starters, injuries to the starting receivers and of course 3rd and 28. I think ME decided to take less money and finish his career somewhere else after that game.
September 6th, 2026 at 12:57 pm
Tom Brady has just a wee bit more street cred than Baker Mayfield. You know, Mr. Seven Rings?
September 6th, 2026 at 12:59 pm
Without Baker we wouldn’t have been 8-9 last year.
Quite the accomplishment for a franchise QB.
Those 4th quarter interceptions are really clutch.
Please sign him to a NFL record contract so we can miss the SB for another half decade.
5 Years at 80 million per ought to do it.
September 6th, 2026 at 1:01 pm
Joe Says:
September 6th, 2026 at 12:57 pm
Where were you when the great Tom Brady couldn’t win a Wild Card game?
Tom Brady has just a wee bit more street cred than Baker Mayfield. You know, Mr. Seven Rings?
Was he responsible for the Wild card loss or not????? If he was not don’t you think the narrative has changed?
September 6th, 2026 at 1:25 pm
I see O’Neil Buc sporting that ” independence ” oops I mean ” wokeness” if that’s a word…Anyhow he’s still out there! Kirk Cousins will start over the great ” drafted franchise rookie qb” everyone’s been hollering for!!! Mayfields team dont forget it!
September 6th, 2026 at 1:49 pm
I’m a Todd Bowles defender
Because l don’t believe in holding a HC responsible for his players
But, the HC is responsible for playing the right players
And last season Bowles wasn’t playing the right players during the collapse
Changes should have been made after the Rams game
September 6th, 2026 at 1:56 pm
More than words in the locker room and media, an ice cold countenance, stoic resolve in the face of setbacks, chipped body parts or reams of receipts I want Mayfield to be a leader and earn his contract by doing something he’s done better than almost all Bucs QBs I can remember watching- score TDs on opening drives. Set the tone and bar high for the Bucs’ defense and the opponent with 7 ponies not 3.
Two years ago we had endured 23 straight games without an opening drive TD. The Brady era offense was like a big, shiny, fast classic car that takes a lot of work to start- once it got moving it was something to see but it usually took until late in the second quarter to get purring. Prior to that? How far back do you want to go? The Bucs have a long, inglorious tradition of putting themselves in a hole to start games I wouldn’t mind letting go.
I’d like him to be a leader by showing his teammates he has grown in the ability to throw the ball away and slide but still provide those ballsy, gutsy plays with an arm attached by a fully functional shoulder, and occasionally his legs. Having more 3rd down conversions via scramble than Josh Allen last season wowed me at first but it isn’t impressive if he can’t throw the ball as a side effect.
I’ve never enjoyed a Bucs QB as much as I enjoy Mayfield on and off the field going all the way back. As a Buc fan, I’ve developed an appetite (or is it just resignation?) for a measure of WTFs from the quarterback position offset by the how the f—- plays that come with that style. That said, if I want to see Baker stiff arm Bosa or careen into a pair of colliding LBs I have highlights I can watch. They’re fantastic. His balls are made of adamantium, everybody knows, box checked, that but his shoulders are not. He needs to learn to throw the ball away in 2026 or throw away how much else?
This Bucs team is going to be something to see.
September 6th, 2026 at 1:57 pm
Go Baker !! Go Coach Todd Bowles!! Go Bucs !! I think Baker Mayfield is one of the best quarterbacks to play for the Buccaneers!!
Love the way Baker fights, runs over and around top defensive players, throws for multiple TD passes every game !! Clearly he can lead the Bucs to a Championship !!
Baker flashes all over the field. Not as much as TB 12, but who does ?
Let’s Go !!
Go Bucs !!
Beat the Bengals !!
September 6th, 2026 at 2:14 pm
I live in Atlanta now where all the Falcons fans are puzzled about the Baker contract situation. They ask me ‘What’s the hang-up? Mayfield is a baller. Wish we had him.”.
Not once or twice, mind you, at least a dozen times. It’s the first question/comment every single time football comes up.
September 6th, 2026 at 2:28 pm
The statistical comparisons of Mayfield and Winston are interesting but at this point in their careers, based on recent observations, I think that data accrued over time spent mostly with the Browns and Bucs is dated and otherwise poor material for 2026 QB projections.
Winston looked fantastic in preseason. Just seeing him was shocking like seeing Coen but the opposite- 32 year old Jameis has transformed his body and looks like a track star not a tweeker or the doughy dude he was in Tampa. He has developed a pump fake that he used to run Jacob Rodriguez right into Kyle Louis on one third down, then hit Rodriguez with it again from the 11 to set him up to beat him to the pylon for a TD on another third down. When Winston was in Tampa he couldn’t even see LBs let alone work them like he can now. Jaxon Dart is another guy who needs to learn to slide but likely won’t so I wouldn’t be surprised by Jameis and Harbaugh winning some games in NY when Dart gets broken.
I’d like to see Mayfield perform better in night games but 80%+ of Bucs games are in the afternoon and without separating the bad shoulder(s) years from the good shoulder(s) years, and seeing how he takes care of himself this year, WRs, OL, etc etc…. I’m not seeing those keyholes of data as indicative of what to expect.
It’s a good time of year to feel .
September 6th, 2026 at 3:47 pm
Kenton . Baker had better running games than what Jamies had and that’s because of the coaching styles. Baker has had some good running games and Jamies only had one good running game in his rookie year. Baker is not asked to throw as many times as Jamies was asked . If Baker throws 40 times in a game and we lose then people ask where was the running game and I would also. Jamies was asked to throw 45 to 50 times a game win lose or draw no one asked where was the running game. That no risk it no biscuit offense is a trash offense. That offense even had Brady at 12 picks when my bucs was 7-5 and Dirk Kotter offense didn’t produce a running game because he didn’t care about the running game either. That’s the difference between both of those guys our offense was ranked top 5 all 5 years with Jamies and the rushing was ranked 30 .
September 6th, 2026 at 3:56 pm
Everybody on this,board,massages the,data to prove a point they already had. The pro Baker peeps including Coach Bowles base their opinion on Bakers long track record of,success. The anti Baker people,want to blow up the team, and put their trust in a college kid or Jameis. . Are these real fans or Atlanta fans,hoping the Bucs lose? As for the Winston whiners he was,given more than enough chances to prove himself. if the bucs were so wrong why has he not excelled elsewhere? We know the jets, Giants, and Panthers,are always,wrong. The jets and Panthers cast off Darnold and he just won the Superbowl.
September 6th, 2026 at 4:24 pm
Bucsfan23..The Ravens handed brady 2 of those rings on missed kicks and mistakes something like bad luck sorta speak !
September 6th, 2026 at 4:30 pm
Jamis has a real coach now
September 6th, 2026 at 4:35 pm
Oneilbuc. Finally we agree. Bakers first year here, in 2023, we were 32nd in the league (that’s last) in yards per carry running the football. White barely averaged 3 yards per carry in Canales vanilla offense.
Coen came in with Bucky in 2024, and Barton was our first draft choice. Instead of just gap we started changing up with some zone running game and we got alot better.
I agree with Baker, and you Oneilbuc. We have to run the ball to be real good. It ought to be better if our passing game is strong and we can stay fairly healthy.
September 6th, 2026 at 4:57 pm
One little problem I have with your takes, Oneilbuc. In your post you say Winston had 5 straight top 5 offenses. 2015-21.4ppg-20th. 2016-22.1ppg-18th. 2017-20.9ppg-18th. 2018 24.8ppg-12th. 2019-28.6ppg-3rd.
So I’m not sure where you got your stats, Oneilbuc. In 2019 we had a great ppg but I guess those 30 interceptions and 6 pick sixes with 30 TD passes had to have sealed Jameis’s fate.
September 6th, 2026 at 5:33 pm
Kenton. We also agree that we want the bucs to win and for Baker to play good.
September 6th, 2026 at 6:32 pm
And Kenton Smith you are the reason several of us can’t stand you Baker boo boos. You had a good part actually showing how much better Mayfield is but because JAs question isn’t a glowing praise of Mayfield you couldn’t help yourself. You clowns weren’t here for the ATM like we were and Oneillbuc is the only Infamous Jameis worshipper up here. Though most of us can see Mayfield is better he still has always shown us inklings of that clown. Mayfield had never done enough to be worshipped the way you honey boo boos do
September 6th, 2026 at 6:49 pm
Hi everyone, I just want to know why there’s SO MUCH HATE for the Bucs already this year. They are scared!! Even Mina is on board!!! I think these new coaches on offense and defense are a good change. Nobody really really knows till you know that you won’t run away so to say. I’m feeling a lot better than them, I’m seeing better things, like 10 or 11 . Health !!!!
September 6th, 2026 at 6:54 pm
Lakeland: You said of Tom Brady that, “When his team loses, he blame himself
When his team wins, he gives credit to all involved.”
That’s true of Baker, as well. You can hardly blame him if his fans take a different approach!
September 6th, 2026 at 7:07 pm
JustVisiting,
You’re right,
September 6th, 2026 at 8:55 pm
David. I’ve never worship anyone bro all i ever said was give him a running game and he would have still been here. Again no one cared about the running game until Brady got here and that’s been my only defense for Jamies.
September 6th, 2026 at 8:59 pm
DavidBigBucsFan99. I’ll be a fan however I please. If you’re gonna give my QB a cheap shot – just imagine what Mauch or Wirfs or Goedecke or Bredeson or Barton would do to those who would hit their QB with a cheap shot!
I feel the same about every single player in the Tampa uniform. You be the kind of fan your gonna be Big99. I was responding to “Baker’s play was disgusting and Baker was one of 3 players most responsible for our losing season”. You defend that DavidBigBucsFan99. I won’t defend that. I’ll defend my QB and my team.
September 6th, 2026 at 10:07 pm
Been there since the beginning:
It’s called corfing: cutting off from reflective failure. Tribal identity dissociation to purge misplaced self-loathing.
Go Bucs!
September 6th, 2026 at 10:10 pm
Lose the from and forgive my losing the sports science acronym- it a holiday weekend…
September 6th, 2026 at 10:21 pm
The antidote is birging- basking in reflective glory.
A boat parade will wash all the earned vitriol away like a hurricane.
September 7th, 2026 at 2:50 pm
While I admit last year was not the best but neither was the krewe I look at 2024 there is a reason baker had outstanding # for the season I remember all the haters still chanting BS while clearly baker is good QB with any luck the krewe will have good chemistry this year it bodes well if all r healthy I have my doubts bout that since way to many injured during preseson I mean they r off for 6 months but come back within a couple weeks injuries galore .WTF is up with that
September 7th, 2026 at 2:52 pm
While I admit last year was not the best but neither was the krewe I look at 2024 there is a reason baker had outstanding # for the season I remember all the haters still chanting BS while clearly baker is good QB with any luck the krewe will have good chemistry this year it bodes well if all r healthy I have my doubts bout that since way to many injured during preseson I mean they r off for 6 months but come back within a couple weeks injuries galore .WTF is up with that ok then