Todd Bowles Is Sure Of One Thing With Baker Mayfield; Unsure Of Another
October 20th, 2026
Who is playing quarterback?
Tomorrow morning, KitKat-eating Bucs coach Todd Bowles expects Baker Mayfield to practice and start throwing around a football.
What Bowles doesn’t know (provided he’s not preaching an ancient form of gridiron gamesmanship) is if Mayfield will be able to throw well enough on Sunday morning in Charlotte when the Bucs face the Stinking Panthers.
Mayfield dislocated his throwing thumb and had the skin tear enough that he needed stitches. The injury happened when he was sacked late in Week 3 against Minnesota. Now that the stitches are out, Mayfield has been given the green light to throw.
Bowles said in his day-after presser yesterday he has no idea if Mayfield can throw well enough to start Sunday.
As a result, Bowles said the Bucs plan to prepare backup Jalon Daniels as if he’s the starter.
“I think you have to,” Bowles said. “Both will be in the meetings. Obviously, both will be in the meetings.
“We’ll see how the week goes before we decide who” starts at quarterback Sunday.
So there you have it: Message to Dave Canales and the Stinking Panthers. You must prepare for both a spread-option quarterback (even though Bucs offensive coordinator Zac Robinson doesn’t run a spread-option, or any variation of it) or the Stinking Panthers will have to prep for Mayfield, who could be anywhere on the field on a given play.
October 20th, 2026 at 9:08 am
Jalon Daniels is no threat to hit a deep ball or any kind of out pattern past ten yards. Any competent defensive coordinator should be able to scheme to stop him. This just shows how bad the Cowboys’ DC is. The Steelers DC figured it out pretty quickly.
We win the Steelers game if Mayfield plays.
I hate the idea of rushing Mayfield back, but if we lose this weekend the season is effectively over.
October 20th, 2026 at 9:09 am
Id Rather have mayfield on the field
October 20th, 2026 at 9:11 am
I sometimes wonder if Todd Bowles gives the GM and owners non-answers on every question, like he does with the media and fans.
October 20th, 2026 at 9:12 am
dude… the season is already effectively over.
October 20th, 2026 at 9:14 am
I saw Baker throwing during pregame warm ups Sunday. He threw a 35 yard pass on target. Dan is right, the season is over
October 20th, 2026 at 9:21 am
Brandon High School’s head football coach could successfully gameplan against Zac Robinson.
Heck, so could I.
October 20th, 2026 at 9:22 am
if the underlying goal is to move the franchise to london, berlin , or manchester…or something like that…
then the glazers are really succeeding…
everyone has almost checked out at this point and is disgusted with the team…
even emotionally invested die hards, like myself…
i’m literally on cruise control here, stepping back from the mess and just shaking my head…
if you actually care, then it’s actually best not to care any more…if that makes any sense…
so if the glazers goal was to actually lose the fanbase thru a slow steady disconnect, they are definitely succeeding…
then once the fan base completely falls back, the team is moved to another location…
other than that, what’s going on is making no sense, because you can’t uplift the culture to the point it reached a few years back, to then drop it down into the quicksand…
that’s like reason for divorce or something…
that’s like torturing your fanbase from the inside out – if they actually care about the team…
like seriously, why uplift the culture to the point of “culture maxxing”…only then to crash it down to rock bottom…it doesn’t make sense…it’s like you are testing your fanbase’s loyalty or something…
at one point a few years back i consistently called us the “new america’s team”……….like after the brady experience, you’d think ownership would never let the franchise sniff out the “yucs vibes” again…
it’s kinda shocking……..unless the ultimate goal rn is to move the franchise
October 20th, 2026 at 9:24 am
Season is irrelevant now. It’s time to trade players for draft picks, hopefully for the new HC and GM.
October 20th, 2026 at 9:28 am
glad my knicks season is poppin’ off tonight…
gives me even more of a reason to disconnect from this bucs fiasco…
hang tough people it’s only mid october 🙁
October 20th, 2026 at 9:33 am
also let’s say baker (aka tom thumb) does come back…
reality is you don’t even have to sack the dude…
if i’m other teams defenses, a big part of the plan is to just run thru his hand…
just keep hitting his hand in any way possible on every single play…
just keep knocking that poor little thumb around…
like simple…
that’s the whole plan…
just bang and jostle his thumb throughout the whole game…
until tom thumb is a bum
October 20th, 2026 at 9:47 am
Fire Bowles, trade Mayfield
October 20th, 2026 at 9:50 am
Moving the team out of the country is absolutely ludicrous! The organization just won a SB what 5 yrs ago…The changes will come , Everyone might not like it but it coming,
October 20th, 2026 at 9:54 am
Baker wont make a difference lol…still have the same trash OC….
gotta turn our attention to HC candidates and draft prospects
GO BUCS!!!!
October 20th, 2026 at 9:54 am
A top draft pick in every round sounds good to me!!! Grab a few extra picks by moving some of the expensive dead weights!! … Things are starting to look better! 😂
October 20th, 2026 at 9:59 am
@ Steve V
“Id Rather have mayfield on the field”
I agree 100%.
At this juncture – Baker Mayfield gives us the best chance at the #1 overall draft pick.
PLEASE! – bring back our beloved Bamer Mayfield.
Can we start a chant Buc fans? – Let’s GO!
MAYFIELD!!!! – On the field!!!!
MAYFIELD!!!! – On the field!!!!
MAYFIELD!!!! – On the field!!!!
Yes! – Come on folks – let’s do it!!!!
October 20th, 2026 at 10:01 am
Baker can easily throw the 117 check downs and 3 overthrown passes downfield.
October 20th, 2026 at 10:03 am
who is playing QB wont change the OC prep, it will be the same unimaginative garbage….
hopium says the players play for their pride as professionals and win this important divisional game to keep the hopium flowing for the fans and bloggers…
wild how the tables have turned and the so called (before the season) division winning bucs (cause i mean the south is a joke of course the bucs are going to win) are now the cellar dwellars vs the no talent panthers.
i’m sure if we could find one we could find 100 articles from the last season and this season so far about how inept pathetic, yada yada the panthers were/are.
if only the game were played on paper and not on the field right??
October 20th, 2026 at 10:05 am
Baker still needs to prove to us fans he is no longer the QB we seen this season to create hope on this fan. The December reality is still looming in this offense.
The defense is earning their money as much as Todd lets them. Just ask Walker!!!!
Slowdown Bucs fans. Just be real. Cutting the grass on game day might be closer than you think.
GO RAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
October 20th, 2026 at 10:08 am
Todd is a master chef serving up hot fresh cow manure pies on Sunday.
The Glazers know he’s an empty vessel devoid of any intelligence above a 60 IQ.
He’s a perfect scarecrow. Bland and boring monotone regurgitated responses to the fluffy soft ball questions from the scared church mice compliant lapdog sports media in Tampa.
Oh the culture!!!!!
October 20th, 2026 at 10:13 am
Another prime example of the horrible coaching under the Bowles stewardship….a very talented player not being coached in his talents but instead being coached into the coached in the coaching philosophy. A coach should be using his skills to develop the players talents and not try restructure the players to fit his. To have a qb with Daniel’s skills and not coach to develop them is bad coaching. A lack of a spread-option under Daniel’s is coaching malpractice and lack of commitment!!!
October 20th, 2026 at 10:15 am
Mayfield won’t be on the field – 1) he has little time to reacclimate to game speed by Friday 2) if he aggravates the injury in Carolina the media will say he was rushed back too soon 3) Baker REALLY wants to play at home against Atlanta and the Glazers like the media angle – why jeopardize that in CAR when the Bucs will probably lose anyway ? 4) Daniels is pushing to play too – and when Baker comes back he may not get another chance – and the organization wants to evaluate him further too with more tape
I just don’t see any logic behind getting Mayfield on the field sooner – the pom-pom squad probably still think the Bucs and Baker will playing in the SB in a few months – ludicrous
October 20th, 2026 at 10:21 am
When you look at this offense you see how lost the OC is. But the worst part is it also feels like Todd is not really helping him. And if Todd has any input is as good as nothing.
Joe should do a poll on Baker’s hand. Do you think Baker told Todd I’m 💯. I’m ready!!!!
October 20th, 2026 at 10:28 am
Why would we want Baker and his second highest TD passes in the NFLin the last 3 years playing when we could have the choice of the fan experts on joebucsfan? Surely when you have a uniquely talented UDFA like Jalon Daniels versus Heisman Trophy winning #1 overall pick Baker Mayfield the choice is obviously Daniels? Moreover, with Bucs management on the hook for a long term guaranteed contract in multi millions why would we want Baker to ever play another snap for Tampa?
Here is why: the majority of people who post to this site are idiots. It would be interesting to know how many actually finished high school. The Glazers are billionaires who have been successful in life. They wouldn’t have approved the Mayfield extension if they doubted his ability to lead the team. The next move will be to bring in a proven NFL coach and staff.
October 20th, 2026 at 10:37 am
Gipper, unfortunately, you’re speaking primarily to the fan base that you’re describing. For the most part. We’ve got guys like professor von brainstem injury spewing nothing but insults like it’s his job. The DR’s and Marines are few and far between.
October 20th, 2026 at 11:07 am
Marine! Im sorry but Im a fan thats not coming from the heart.Yes theres changes to be made to the team obviously! Im not going to lose any sleep over them..There’s no comparison between Daniels and Mayfield the latter just gives them a better chance of winning, if they wind up being spoilers thats cool ,Im not sweating what i cant control.. There’s plenty of football left ,thats what im looking forward to….As always ….Go Bucs
October 20th, 2026 at 11:24 am
People on this board holding out hope lol. They have won 1 game this season. They have won only 5 games since October 12th of 2025 let that sink in.
October 20th, 2026 at 11:26 am
Baker finished last season at 2-7. He started this season at 0-3.
His QBR during that period is awful.
October 20th, 2026 at 11:29 am
Ahh.. Marine my master debater,whos your choice for qb ?? If you had one..Daniels? Na man hes the classic rookie Seriously right now who gives the team a better chance to win??
October 20th, 2026 at 11:42 am
Counting the days for a bowels free press conference another one down
October 20th, 2026 at 11:48 am
If the stitches are just coming out now, that sounds like a pretty big gash. A lot of tissue to rehab.
October 20th, 2026 at 12:02 pm
To EZ for Baker to re-injure his hand. Let jerks like marine enjoy another game with Daniels and lose to the Panthers. BTW, they will be in the playoffs- -not us.
October 20th, 2026 at 12:33 pm
Stay in NY Adam . Root for the Jets ?
October 20th, 2026 at 12:35 pm
While most are right our season prob is over but only 2 games behind the panthers means there’s still a chance. If this was any other division ok besides nfc east the Bucs season would be over. If the Bucs win the next 2 games and panthers lose 2 games we are tied. Not to big of a deal. Defense is playing good but if the offense does get it together which I don’t think they do then we can still win it
October 20th, 2026 at 12:36 pm
Holding hope ,every real fan wants to see this team turn it around, make a run, or at least interesting, why not footballs a game ..I sleep well on Sunday night ,its all about food and friends ..Mayfield will be back to make it interesting…Go Bucs!
October 20th, 2026 at 12:38 pm
@ Steve V
LOL!
I already told you man.
I prefer Baker Mayfield at QB…
I want the #1 overall pick in Apreil and Baker gives us the best chance of achieving that goal.
October 20th, 2026 at 12:38 pm
April…
October 20th, 2026 at 1:00 pm
April Fiols Marine! Lol! If you thought that you wouldn’t have made you 7-10 prediction!
October 20th, 2026 at 1:01 pm
Turnovers are a bit@#!!