Jason Licht: Fans And Team Employees “Live Vicariously” Through Baker Mayfield
September 11th, 2026
Buccaneers GM Jason Licht.
Is it time for Sunday’s kickoff yet?
Joe is so eager for the long offseason to be over. Things are getting a little silly.
Buccaneers Ring of Honor general manager Jason Licht hopped on the Salty Dogs podcast this week (Joe listens via the SiriusXM Buccaneers channel) and commented on handing Baker Mayfield the largest contract in franchise history.
Licht is so all-in on Mayfield, he said the entire Bucs community sort of lives vicariously through Mayfield.
“It’s worth it here,” Licht said of the team paying Mayfield a fat contract.
“It’s our quarterback. He’s our leader. He’s the face of the team by nature of the position. But just also the way he leads and the way he carries himself. And, you know, he’s almost the perfect type of person to be in that position because I think everybody — not just the players and the people in the organization — but I think the entire city and fan base, they just kinda live vicariously through him. And just his fight, just his whole story — underdog and came out on top. So not completely on top yet; we’re working that way. But he’s come up on the better side, that’s for sure.”
Joe thinks Licht might need a cold beer. Yeah, Mayfield has a nice story, but take it easy. Are fans and Tampa Bay employees really living through him? It’s not like the Bucs conquered the world last season.
However, Joe knows Licht spends a big chunk of his time at One Buc Palace. Perhaps Team Glazer is routinely decked out in Mayfield gear and paces the company bunker yelling, “Let’s F’n Bake!“
September 11th, 2026 at 12:13 pm
Sometime a question Joe’s fandom.😒
September 11th, 2026 at 12:16 pm
Licht should be on comicview lol
On to Cincinnati!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!
September 11th, 2026 at 12:18 pm
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 To ALL the haters!! All 6 of them😂😂😂😂
September 11th, 2026 at 12:22 pm
I’m ready for the bake show Sunday.
September 11th, 2026 at 12:23 pm
JL def enjoying the contract honeymoon phase
September 11th, 2026 at 12:25 pm
In the Amazon series, one of the glazers mentioned they drink more water because of Tom Brady and his mission to hydrate. I thought that a little silly. It wasn’t even that much water, whatever the amount was.
September 11th, 2026 at 12:30 pm
Jeez Joe…you must have a had salty waitress or something.
Not at all. –Joe
He’s stoked that Baker relates to us…you’ve been all about Baker being like 40 in the minds of relatability in the community. Now there’s a contract you get upset he’s getting vocal support? Who’s upset? If that were the case, you would have read all about it. –Joe
I can tell what “Joe” typed this one up.
Just be frickin happy.
September 11th, 2026 at 12:33 pm
Post-contract euphoria. Kind of like Joe when Kay Adams smiles at him.
September 11th, 2026 at 12:49 pm
I agree, Kay Adams and euphoria!
September 11th, 2026 at 1:26 pm
Weird
September 11th, 2026 at 2:08 pm
“And just his fight, just his whole story — underdog and came out on top. So not completely on top yet; we’re working that way. But he’s come up on the better side, that’s for sure.”
LMAO, mental brake check here for Licht
September 11th, 2026 at 2:17 pm
Bakefieild is our fearless leader.
September 11th, 2026 at 2:56 pm
Did Baker not smile at you ? Why not just roll with the fact that the front office is happy with his contract extension? Ease up some?
Must be pregame jitters..
September 11th, 2026 at 3:09 pm
The Baker Mayfield injury conversation is worth looking at because there’s a pretty clear pattern in his career.
When healthy, Baker has shown he can be a high-level QB. In 2020, he posted 3,563 yards, 26 TDs, 8 INTs and a 95.9 passer rating. In 2024, he took another huge step with 4,500 yards, 41 TDs, 16 INTs and a 106.8 rating.
Compare that to 2021, when he played through the shoulder injury: 3,010 yards, 17 TDs, 13 INTs and an 83.1 rating.
Now we know he played most of 2025 with MCL/PCL injuries dating back to Week 2. He still put up 3,693 yards, 26 TDs and 11 INTs, but his 90.6 passer rating was well below the level he showed when healthy.
That’s the frustrating part. Baker has proven he’s tough enough to play hurt. The question is whether he should.
If healthy Baker is capable of putting up 4,000+ yards and 40+ TDs, there’s no reason to keep sacrificing his effectiveness just to stay on the field every week.
At some point, protecting Baker and getting him back to 100% has to matter more than proving he can play through it.
September 11th, 2026 at 3:14 pm
Odd, your “franchise quarterback” was willing just to play the season out and to accept come what may but his agent kept the door ajar just enough to move contract talks in a positive direction. You are in negotiations with an employee, you control the money and you fold! Would be interesting to know who folded and why!!
September 11th, 2026 at 3:14 pm
Odd, your “franchise quarterback” was willing just to play the season out and to accept come what may but his agent kept the door ajar just enough to move contract talks in a positive direction. You are in negotiations with an employee, you control the money and you fold! Would be interesting to know who folded and why!!
September 11th, 2026 at 4:12 pm
Here they go. Hope not flat/
September 11th, 2026 at 4:13 pm
Who but Bakefield could they Get?
September 11th, 2026 at 6:24 pm
The energy to hate on Baker, hate on decisions to keep him and those in control of it…man, you dudes have a serious mental health crisis going on…. this is the worst Ive ever seen Buc hating so called “fans”….
September 11th, 2026 at 6:41 pm
Max. A lot of people love to throw that word around when anyone speaks the truth about a player or they get called a fan of that player. Tell me how can people hate someone that most if not all the people hate anyone they don’t know personally? And just because some fans may have a different idea about the team being successful than you is not hating. Baker haven’t won nothing are even played in a conference championship game and you guys act like he was great last year lol 😆. Baker had a below average season last year because he was good mvp worthy in the beginning of the season and in the second half of the season he was bad and was one of the main reason why we didn’t make the playoffs that’s a fact that’s not hate. You can’t argue facts it’s calling it like it is and it ain’t not one bucs fan that’s hoping Baker plays bad this season. And the Baker fan boys are not included in none of my takes or opinion because they don’t count to me. I’m talking to my real bucs fans we have to stop using the word hate or fan of a player’s because just like all the Brady fans are gone and the same fans are still here afterwards it will be the same way with the Baker fan boys.
September 11th, 2026 at 6:42 pm
It’s still something that Licht seemed content to let Baker play out the year, then the owners started meddling and forced a deal to get done. Makes me wonder if Licht still gets fired if the deal turns out to be a disaster.
At the same time, the Glazers have gotten involved in the past where things worked out well – mainly getting the deal done with the Raiders to get Jon Gruden. Sure, long term Gruden was a disaster that ruined what should have been a dynasty with his moronic personnel moves and getting McKay fired, but the Bucs did win a SB, and we don’t know for certain that happens otherwise (personally I think the defense was just ready, and it really didn’t matter if it was Gruden or Spurrier the Bucs were winning the SB that year).
So I’m not all doom and gloom on the owners meddling, just hoping things go well.
September 11th, 2026 at 6:43 pm
That’s not hating because some of us have different ideas.
September 11th, 2026 at 7:13 pm
Jason is Full of $hit!!!!!!