On September 8, five days before the Buccaneers were set to open their season on the road in Cincinnati, Baker Mayfield signed a three-year contract extension with Tampa Bay worth $165 million. Structured at $55 million annually, the deal ties the quarterback to the franchise through the 2029 season.
The contract dispute, which had been building since Mayfield's talks stalled at the opening of training camp, has now been resolved. With the quarterback situation settled, Tampa Bay enters a roster-building phase at wide receiver following Mike Evans's departure, after a season that ended with an 8-9 record and no postseason berth.
Mayfield's 2026 season was already under contract, leaving the extension to cover the three-year stretch from 2027 through 2029. Details on guarantees and signing bonus arrangements were largely absent from initial coverage.
In a team statement, owner Joel Glazer described the deal as the franchise's most substantial contract to date, adding that it reflects the organisation's confidence in Mayfield both on and off the field. General manager Jason Licht described Mayfield as the squad's central driving force.
Having set a training-camp deadline for a contract agreement that went unmet, Mayfield told reporters the outcome left him feeling undervalued. He indicated that any resumption of negotiations would have to wait until the 2026 season had concluded. Licht responded by conveying that an extended contract remained the intended path while leaving open the possibility of applying the franchise tag in 2027. Invoking that provision for a quarterback typically carries a steep financial cost and can strain the relationship between a player and the organisation.
Back in July, Mayfield had spoken openly about his ties to Tampa, telling reporters that the city had become home for his family and the place where he and his wife were raising their children. Speaking at a press conference following the signing, he described the deal as having transformed his life and expressed gratitude toward the Glazer family.
A contract agreement for defensive tackle Vita Vea came together around the same time, allowing the organisation to resolve both roster situations simultaneously. That deal spans three years at a total value of $100 million, breaking down to around $33 million annually, with approximately $22 million flowing into the arrangement each season.
At $55 million per year, Mayfield's extension places him in a six-way tie for third on the NFL quarterback pay scale, alongside Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, Jordan Love, Trevor Lawrence, and Matthew Stafford. The deal runs through Mayfield's age-34 season, with the front office having determined he can remain a productive contributor despite turning 32 next April.
Mayfield arrived in Tampa in 2023 on a one-year contract worth $4 million, brought in to fill the quarterback vacancy left by Tom Brady's departure. Selected with the first overall pick by Cleveland in 2018, he had struggled to establish himself at the professional level before the move to Tampa. He earned Pro Bowl selection in back-to-back campaigns during his first two seasons with the Buccaneers, and the team claimed the NFC South division title in each of those same years. That squad advanced past the opening playoff round during the 2023 campaign.
The following season, Tampa finished 10-7, captured the division title again, and was eliminated in the Wild Card round. A contract extension worth $100 million followed that stretch of performances in 2024. At the midpoint of that season, Mayfield had positioned himself among the league's MVP contenders while Tampa posted a 6-2 record. A left-shoulder injury sustained against the Rams in late November preceded a stretch in which the team dropped seven of its final nine contests, finishing 8-9.
According to the Associated Press, Mayfield took every snap across all 17 games for a third consecutive season, finishing with 3,693 passing yards, 26 touchdown passes, and 11 interceptions. Mike Evans's departure from Tampa closes a chapter in which he accumulated 866 receptions and 13,052 receiving yards — totals that stand as the highest in franchise history.
Head coach Todd Bowles has referred to Mayfield in team communications as someone who embodies a relentless drive to win. Tampa Bay is scheduled to open their season against Cincinnati on September 13.
