Baker Mayfield is staring down the final year of his contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and despite what looks like a mountain of problems, he’s throwing out a wild claim: “I think we’re going to shock a lot of people this year. I’m excited to just get on the road and do that.” The man is leaning hard into the underdog role he knows so well, but man, does Tampa Bay have some serious ground to make up.
The Numbers Are Screaming Pessimism For Tampa Bay
Look, you don’t need to be a football genius to see the trouble brewing in Tampa. The 2025 season ended in a tremendously disappointing fashion, with the Buccaneers limping to a 2-7 record after their Week 9 bye. They racked up losing streaks of three and four games, and their offense became “far too schematic and predictable” when they needed it most. Their defense? Not strong enough to bail them out. What kind of division sees no team log a winning record? Theirs, apparently. That’s not exactly a sign of a powerhouse. Mayfield himself admitted, “You can’t avoid it,” when talking about the negative talk surrounding the team. He’s right, there are TVs everywhere, and those TVs aren’t exactly painting a pretty picture for the Bucs.
Mayfield’s Rocky Road To Redemption In His Contract Year
The challenges don’t stop with last season’s struggles. The team’s ceiling seems to have dropped with a slew of personnel moves. Franchise legends Lavonte David retired, and Mike Evans bolted in free agency. That’s a huge hit to a roster that already feels like it’s taking on water. Plus, Mayfield is already on his fourth offensive coordinator in four years with the team, Zac Robinson. Consistency? What’s that? Even some of the guys sticking around are discontented, with standout defensive tackle Vita Vea “at odds with the front office” on top of Mayfield’s own contract gripes. It’s a mess, plain and simple.
But here’s the kicker: Mayfield has a history of proving doubters wrong. He was an underrecruited high school prospect, the first FBS walk-on true freshman quarterback to start a season opener at Texas Tech, and the only former walk-on to ever win the Heisman Trophy at Oklahoma. He even flew off the draft board as the No. 1 overall pick in 2018 despite critics buzzing about his “antics and physical shortcomings,” and he’s now a two-time Pro Bowler. He thrives on adversity. He’s got his “sights set on a prolific year,” and with his contract running out, this season is everything for Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers. Can he really shock us, or will this team just tread water like everyone expects?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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