Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield Faces Pivotal 2026 Season

Analyst says Mayfield must prove himself again after Tampa Bay's disappointing 2025 campaign.

Jan. 28, 2026 at 7:23pm

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is entering a critical 2026 season after leading the team to the playoffs in his first two years, but struggling down the stretch in 2025 and missing the postseason. With Mayfield in a contract year and facing questions about his long-term future, he'll need to bounce back and silence the doubters once again.

Why it matters

Mayfield's performance in 2026 will be crucial for the Buccaneers as they determine whether to commit to him long-term or potentially look for a new quarterback. After two strong seasons, his struggles in 2025 have raised concerns about his consistency and ability to lead the team deep into the playoffs.

The details

After leading the Buccaneers to the playoffs in 2023 and 2024, Mayfield appeared to be an MVP candidate through the first half of the 2025 season. However, the team faltered down the stretch, finishing 8-9 and missing the postseason. Now in a contract year, Mayfield will need to bounce back and prove he can be the long-term answer at quarterback for Tampa Bay.

  • Mayfield is entering the final season of his three-year, $100 million contract in 2026.
  • Mayfield will turn 31 years old this year.

The players

Baker Mayfield

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' starting quarterback who led the team to the playoffs in his first two seasons but struggled in 2025, missing the postseason.

Zac Robinson

The Buccaneers' new offensive coordinator who will be working with Mayfield in 2026.

John Kosko

An analyst at Pro Football Focus who ranked the Buccaneers 11th in the league based on their quarterback needs.

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What they’re saying

“The Buccaneers find themselves at a crossroads as they enter the 2026 offseason. Baker Mayfield turns 31 this year and is entering the final season of his three-year, $100 million contract. After leading Tampa Bay to the playoffs in each of his first two seasons with the team, Mayfield struggled down the stretch in 2025 and failed to reach the postseason in a weak NFC South.”

— John Kosko, Analyst (PFF)

What’s next

The Buccaneers will need to evaluate Mayfield's performance in 2026 and decide whether to extend him or potentially look for a new quarterback.

The takeaway

Mayfield has a chance to silence the doubters once again in 2026, but he must prove he can consistently lead the Buccaneers to the playoffs and beyond. His future with the team could hinge on how he performs in this critical contract year.