2026 is shaping up to be a career-altering season for Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Last Friday, Mayfield revealed that his representatives and Tampa Bay’s front office are “not close” on a contract extension. Mayfield said his team will not engage in contract negotiations once Tampa Bay’s training camp begins in late July.
Mayfield’s three-year, $100 million contract will expire following the 2026 season.
Barring a dramatic change of heart by either Mayfield’s camp or the Buccaneers, his play this season will have a huge impact on the dollar amount Tampa Bay or other suitors will be willing to offer, setting up a pressure-packed season for the veteran quarterback.
Baker Mayfield says he wants to stay in Tampa but they’re not close on a new contract and he’s set a deadline of the start of training camp, not wanting to negotiate after that during the season. pic.twitter.com/RkVX9Nxg9s
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) June 5, 2026
Baker Mayfield Set For Pressure-Packed Season As He Seeks Contract Extension
Mayfield’s career has been defined by highs and lows.
His 2025 season was no different. It started strong for Mayfield and the Buccaneers, with the team going 6-2 in its first eight games. Mayfield threw for more than 200 yards in six of those eight games and led the Buccaneers to four game-winning drives in the fourth quarter during that span. He had 13 passing touchdowns and two interceptions.
However, following the Week 9 bye, the Buccaneers’ play started to decline. Tampa Bay finished the year with a 2-7 record, including a four-game losing streak in December. The Buccaneers’ poor play down the stretch resulted in them missing the playoffs for the first time since the 2019 season.
Baker Mayfield was a major contributor to the Buccaneers’ woes in the second half of the season. He threw for fewer than 200 yards in five of Tampa Bay’s final nine games. He had 13 passing touchdowns and nine interceptions during that stretch.
His 3,693 passing yards and 26 touchdown passes were Mayfield’s fewest since arriving in Tampa in 2023. His 10.8 yards per completion tied a career low for a full season.
Mayfield’s struggles came after a career year in 2024. He set career highs in passing yards, passing touchdowns, and completion percentage in Liam Coen’s offense.
Mayfield’s 2025 Was Slowed Down Mightily By Injuries
Last season, Mayfield often played through injuries, likely contributing to his drop-off in play. He dealt with shoulder, oblique, biceps, knee, and ankle injuries throughout the season.
His former teammate, Lavonte David, commended Mayfield for playing through a multitude of injuries.
“Baker had a lot of injuries that you didn’t expect a quarterback to play through. He had the oblique injury, he had the shoulder injury, he had a lot of things — like ankle injury, knee injury — he had a lot of stuff he was going through. The season’s over now, I can talk about it, but he had a lot of stuff that he was going through, and he was really trying to push and really trying to be the player that we needed him to be. To be honest, we was doing his thing for the most part,” David said on The Arena podcast this offseason following his retirement.
Mayfield has led the Buccaneers to a 27-24 record as a starter, two NFC South titles, and a playoff victory since becoming Tampa Bay’s starter in 2023.
Mayfield Will Look to Recapture Success With a Familiar Face
Now, a refreshed Mayfield will look to raise his production level with new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, his ninth play-caller in nine NFL seasons. Mayfield spent a brief time with Robinson in Los Angeles in 2022, when Robinson served as the Rams’ pass-game coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
Mayfield said this offseason that he worked closely with Coen and Robinson during his short time with the Rams.
“Great guys and they care about winning, and they try to put their guys in the best position possible, and I think that is what I realized when I got to L.A., of, ‘This is the kind of system, and these are the kind of coaches that I want to be around.’ They truly adapt to the personnel, and what guys’ strengths are and go from there,” he said on The Ronde Barber Show this offseason.
Baker Mayfield will try to find the same success he had with Coen alongside Robinson this season.
Mayfield’s $33.3 million annual salary ranks 16th among NFL quarterbacks entering the season. Eleven quarterbacks are set to make more than $50 million per season. Mayfield will likely seek between $50 million and $60 million annually in his next contract.
Mayfield has ranked among the NFL’s top 10 in passing yards and passing touchdowns in each season since becoming the Buccaneers’ starting quarterback in 2023.
Now, he will need a strong 2026 season to be paid like a top-10 quarterback.
