Baker Mayfield Rushing Back Signals Panic
October 3rd, 2026
“Bake, we don’t want to have to move up north.”
Before anyone tries to twist Joe’s intentions: Joe always wants the Bucs to win — unless the No. 1 overall pick in the draft is on the line. š
And that draft pick is not on the line right now, next week, this month and won’t be until maybe January. Joe prays the Bucs don’t find themselves in that situation.
The Bucs are 0-3. They have an undrafted rookie free agent quarterback making his first start tomorrow. The same quarterback has a grand total of four snaps under his belt in real NFL games. One pass attempt. One interception.
If the Bucs go 0-4, it is damn near a done deal a playoff berth is out of reach. Just one team has recovered from an 0-4 start and Joe doesn’t see Stan Humphries coming through the black curtain at The Licht House.
(The way the Bucs are playing, that black curtain should not be used to shield the evil media from seeing players walk off the field, but it ought to be used to spare paying customers and innocents at home viewing the network TV feeds from seeing the team on the field.)
Joe will recount back in The Lost Decade when then-Bucs coach Dirk Koetter benched America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, for hairy-chested journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick. For a coach to bench a former No. 1 overall pick he told the organization he could work with and develop, that was equivalent to a coach signing his job death certificate.
Then-Bucs offensive coordinator Todd Monken, in his first media appearance after the Jameis benching was announced, told the local pen and mic club, “We’re trying to save jobs.”
Joe appreciated then, and appreciates now, Monken’s unfiltered candor.
Simply put, when football coaches see the end approaching, they are not above strange moves. Panic moves can and sometimes will be used.
“We’re trying to save jobs.”
Team Glazer has only retained the services of one coach with consecutive losing seasons since purchasing the Bucs in the mid-1990s. That man’s name is “Chucky.” And that same man won the Glazer family its first Super Bowl.
In some circles, that’s called street cred. In other words, Chucky had a pelt on the wall.
Todd Bowles finished 8-9 last year, missing the playoffs after a 6-2 start. That full-blown collapse partly was due to the quarterback had to be on the field — even though the Bucs spoke often this offseason how beat to hell Baker Mayfield was.
Why didn’t the team rest Mayfield for a game or two rather than play him in less than peak playing condition and sacrifice the season?
Well, it seems we may be looking at a repeat.
Two NFL insiders, James Palmer and Tom Pelissero, published reports the past three days that Mayfield is working overtime to get back on the field sooner than expected. Two weeks from tomorrow is Mayfield’s target date.
Why? Did the organization not learn from last year? Do you really want Mayfield out there with a throwing hand less than 100 percent and perhaps either do more damage or play like crap?
Someone has to play the role of an adult in the organization and tell Mayfield to relax. He just got paid. Big time! Let Mother Nature take her course.
This bulldog mentality of Mayfield is more than commendable. “This Joe” has stated there may not be a quarterback with more quality intangibles than Mayfield. Sometimes, however, caution is the better option than blind emotion.
It sure seems like the coaching staff is in panic mode.
It seems they’re more than ready to shove Mayfield on the playing field — health, if not career ramifications, be damned — in a desperate effort to get a win or two and maybe, just maybe, call Tampa Bay their home for another year.
“We’re trying to save jobs.”
October 3rd, 2026 at 2:17 pm
AGREED!
andā¦ itās not the team rushing him back ( speculation)
Itās Baker saying that heās good to play.
We will know more after watching JD play tomorrow.
Defense had good stats against the Vikings soā¦
October 3rd, 2026 at 2:18 pm
āWeāre trying to save jobs.ā Love that Bottom Line Joe.
Someone needs to tell Todd & the other coaches that that ship has already sailed. And that Todd should enjoy his last year at the helm.
October 3rd, 2026 at 2:18 pm
Sacrificing the āFranchiseā QB or letting him believe itās okay to go out injured is just plain irresponsible. Itās damning and I hope the Glazers see whoās pushing this narrative to save their own arses.
October 3rd, 2026 at 2:19 pm
And BTW, Baker’s not worried that ‘the kid’ will do bad.
He’s worried the kid will do good.
October 3rd, 2026 at 2:26 pm
Leave it alone Baker….let go, its over….heal and rest and get ready to be a bridge to Mestemaker!
October 3rd, 2026 at 2:32 pm
If anything Todd should play loose like thereās nothing to lose – let players do their strength and be aggressive on O
He wonāt even take time away from his D calls to prepare a decent press conference
Whatās Bakers grip strength like, heās already leader in fumbles and erratic in the air
Spitshow continues
October 3rd, 2026 at 2:36 pm
Donāt think this signals panic, this signals normalcy. When your starting quarterback is hurt, he returns to action when he is cleared to play. Baker is not going to sit back and rest. He canāt a competitor never does.
Never play football to lose, never !! Always play to win !!
Go Bucs !!
October 3rd, 2026 at 2:38 pm
It might also signal Daniels had a very good week of practice.
October 3rd, 2026 at 2:39 pm
This is Bledsoe/Brady part II. Lol
October 3rd, 2026 at 2:39 pm
Get his 165 million dollar arse out there. Bucs are looking at a top draft pick, they got to know if it should be used on a QB. Bucs can move on from Baker after 28 season, that isn’t far off. So let him play, that’s why he’s making the big money.
October 3rd, 2026 at 2:42 pm
This is getting sad now he is not a team player he doesnāt let anyone get to much shine because he wants to be the center of attention why not heal your body heal your hand get better so you can come back to the team 100% instead of trying to rush back and you know this is him trying to hurry up and rush back just like he did when they finally put trask in the game. He hurry up and ran out of the blue tent just to go out there and throw a pic
October 3rd, 2026 at 2:43 pm
Baker is trash
October 3rd, 2026 at 2:46 pm
Dewey Selmon, that would be awesome!! You never know.
October 3rd, 2026 at 2:47 pm
This team better let it be what it’ll be. He plays terrible hurt. This isnt a guess. Cleveland and here. Being tough isnt going to save this team
October 3rd, 2026 at 2:47 pm
I applaud his grit, be he wasnāt good when healthy. That, and an HC who couldnāt coach his way out of a wet paper bag is leading to a lost season.
October 3rd, 2026 at 2:52 pm
I think mayfield is in a huge slump and its worry too much about running with the ball instead of making quick passes and keeping the drive going. Hopefully he bounces back.
October 3rd, 2026 at 2:58 pm
Defense Rules Says:
October 3rd, 2026 at 2:19 pm
And BTW, Bakerās not worried that āthe kidā will do bad.
Heās worried the kid will do good.
BINGO! And if the kid plays well, we all have lots to discuss the next week or two. Gotta love the drama.
October 3rd, 2026 at 3:03 pm
Baker tries to put the team on his back all the time. He wants the team to win and be feels he’s the only way. Sit a couple more weeks. You’ll be a Buc for a while.
October 3rd, 2026 at 3:07 pm
Joe, interesting that you would write 2 articles on the same topic, Mayfield trying to return. Why is this news exactly? Athletes want to play, and how is that indicative of the coaching staff panicking? Do you think the coaching staff is pushing him to return as soon as possible? I don’t get the panic here in all honesty (panic about Baker returning too soon). Now, panicking because they’re a terrible team that’s circling the drain, well I’m with you there.
October 3rd, 2026 at 3:17 pm
It seems theyāre more than ready to shove Mayfield on the playing field ā
——————————————————————————————-
How did you arrive at that coclusion? Before seeing JD play they’re ready to return to the awful play of Baker??? Baker is going the way of Bledsoe. He knows it and that’s the reason he’s trying to rush his recovery. He will make a goodbackup QB.
October 3rd, 2026 at 3:24 pm
Yeah we really need Baker to secure the top overall pick
We definitely don’t need him to win football games
That’s not happening
October 3rd, 2026 at 3:25 pm
Todd wants Jalon to succeed. That is the best chance for Todd to finish his contract and then retire.
If the defense plays as well as last week and Jalon establishes himself in the next couple of games, Todd will keep Jalon. Specially if they win the division and the defense is playing decent Todd and his son will continue to get paychecks from the Glazers until his contract is done. You can take that to the bank!
October 3rd, 2026 at 3:31 pm
Baker’s $165 million dollar contract will go down as the biggest mistake in Bucs history.
He’s just a glorified backup. Nothing more.
A loudmouth with toughness but zero common sense.
We need a true pocket passer with the skills and the brain cells needed to win.
Trade him now while you still can.
October 3rd, 2026 at 3:39 pm
He knows that he didnāt deserve, this contract! Heās paranoid that JD10, will win over the Team!
October 3rd, 2026 at 3:56 pm
relax you just got paid 165mil
October 3rd, 2026 at 4:06 pm
Kyle Trask is laughing.
October 3rd, 2026 at 4:11 pm
This will take care of itself on the field,, JD goes out and wins 2 games then JD will play the third ,,, JD goes out and loses two games or goes 1-1,then BM will need to rush back and try and save the season (hopefully still only 1 game out of division)
October 3rd, 2026 at 4:16 pm
This is a really bad article. Making assumptions and jumping to conclusions.
October 3rd, 2026 at 4:45 pm
DR
Absolutely correct.
October 3rd, 2026 at 4:55 pm
Defense Rules says that Baker isnāt worried about Daniels playing bad, heās worried about Danielās playing good. Iād like to know what evidence you have to support that. If you have that information, letās hear it. If not, and just an assumption, then you shouldnāt say such things. That being said said, Baker should sit unless heās 100%, whether Daniels balls out or falls on his face. I think itās more likely that he would rush it for Bowles and Licht and the organization.
October 3rd, 2026 at 5:10 pm
Maker is the future I hope he heals and comes back to a much improved offense so he does t get crush on each play. He has the skills, mentality and needs so
E help from the offense. All the negativity piled on Baker is unjustified
October 3rd, 2026 at 5:13 pm
Maker is the future I hope he heals and comes back to a much improved offense so he doesnāt get crushed on each play. He has the skills, mentality and needs
help from the offense. All the negativity piled on Baker is unjustified
October 3rd, 2026 at 5:23 pm
Glazers donāt want $165M standing on the sidelines.
October 3rd, 2026 at 5:25 pm
Time to start over.
October 3rd, 2026 at 5:29 pm
Goodness dude. Let it go. Itās OVER.
Getting number one overall pick isnāt some death curse. Look at the most recent example.
Trade vea, Winfield and Godwin for some extra capital and go to work.
Hire a competent OC as head coach and we could be 10-7 or 11-6 in the first year of said HC.
I realize itās not an automatic that we hire the right guy but you have to try. Get out of your comfort zone and network around the league.
The glazers āafraid to failā attitude carries over to the coaches and journalists.
October 3rd, 2026 at 5:31 pm
You are spot on Joe. It does signal Panic. But what if this kid Daniels pulls off 2 straight wins? Then what?
October 3rd, 2026 at 5:57 pm
Rushing back for what? To play like a bottom 10 QB?
This team is shot. Licht blew it Fāing around with contacts.
Bowles has zero business being a HC. Thanks, Bruce with your little scheme. We see you for what you were.
October 3rd, 2026 at 5:59 pm
I want as high a draft pick as possible to flip for others for our new offensive HC.
October 3rd, 2026 at 6:15 pm
Baker playing or not playing it’s going to matter. It will only be luck if my beloved bus win 2 games this year. Love or hate Todd Bowels he’s have never had the capacity to be a head coach he’s proved that now twice. He is an amazing defensive coach he will be a job after the Glazer let him go this year and the next defense he coaches will be top 5 again.
October 3rd, 2026 at 6:39 pm
They need to save Mayfield from himself.
October 3rd, 2026 at 6:41 pm
did you know bakers body is worth 5 million doll hairs…
and
his thumb is worth 160 million doll hairs…
#ThinkAboutIt