Trouble may be brewing in Tampa Bay.
At his youth football camp Friday, Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield gave a worrisome answer when asked about how contract extension talks were going with the team.
“We love the community, we love being here, they’ve embraced us, and we enjoy being here and obviously gonna raise kids here. But yeah, contract stuff, it’s happening, it’s starting, the talks and what not, but not anywhere close to what we were thinking,” Mayfield said, per reports. “Would love to be here long term but as of right now that’s not exactly the case. But I’m under contract for 2026.”
“The guys in the locker room, the staff know I’m still gonna be me. I’m still going to do everything I can to help this team win a Super Bowl. To me that’s the priority. Everything else will take care of itself.”
Mayfield, 31, is entering the final year of a three-year, $100 million deal he signed in March 2024.
If the signal-caller doesn’t get a deal done before training camp, he said he’ll play out of the final year of the deal and re-visit talks after the season.
“Obviously, yes, I would love to have a long-term deal, but they know my deadline is as soon as training camp starts, we’re not doing any contract stuff, it’s all ball,” he said. “So, it’s not up to me when that gets done. So, hopefully before that. If not, we’re still gonna have a good year.”
A first overall pick out of Oklahoma in 2018, Mayfield’s career has been the epitome of up-and-down.
Mayfield showed occasional promise with the Browns and helped them to their first playoff appearance in 18 years in 2020, but his woeful 2021 campaign made the team move in a different direction by sending him to the Panthers.
The 31-year-old threw 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2022 between Carolina and the Rams before signing with Tampa Bay in 2023 to replace seven-time champion Tom Brady.
Despite just one playoff win in three years, Mayfield’s found stability with the Buccaneers, tossing 95 touchdowns across 51 games.
The former Oklahoma Sooner started off 2025 as an MVP candidate and spearheaded Tampa Bay’s 6-2 start, but regressed mightily as the season progressed and missed the playoffs at 8-9.
Next season will be a tall task for the former Heisman Trophy winner, as Buccaneers legend and wide receiver Mike Evans left in free agency for the 49ers.
Tampa Bay kicks off its season on Sept. 13 on the road against the Bengals.
