Baker Mayfield Nominated for Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced that quarterback Baker Mayfield is their club winner for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, presented by Nationwide. This marks the first time Mayfield has been nominated for the league's prestigious honor, which recognizes an NFL player for outstanding community service activities, as well as excellence on the field.
"Being recognized for this award alongside the best in our league is an extraordinary honor," Mayfield said. "Our responsibility as professional athletes and NFL players extends far beyond what we do on the field, and it is incredibly humbling to be considered for Walter Payton Man of the Year. I'm grateful for the opportunity to make a difference through this platform and to help others overcome whatever challenges they may be facing."
At every stop along his journey, Mayfield has utilized his platform to serve the local community. Upon his arrival in Tampa in 2023, Mayfield launched the Baker & Emily Mayfield Foundation alongside his wife Emily, hosting their first community event with the inaugural "Be the Ball" event in Tampa before taking his first snap as a Buccaneer. In the last three years, this event has raised nearly $600,000 for the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County to empower the next generation, fostering early childhood learning.
A year ago, Mayfield donated $17,900 to a Florida high school, funding new shoulder pads and helmets for the Space Coast Vipers, located on the East Coast of Florida. This donation propelled the Vipers to make school history when they secured their first state title, winning the 2024 SSAA 1A State Championship. This past May, the Baker & Emily Mayfield Foundation announced their "Walk-On Scholarship" for walk-on student athletes like Mayfield. The foundation has since awarded two $10,000 scholarships to active walk-on student athletes, renewable for up to three additional years for each eligible recipient. Mayfield's impact far exceeds the football field and manifests in his heart for serving and giving back.
Riley Dixon Named Special Teams Player of the Week
The National Football League announced that Buccaneers' punter Riley Dixon was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 13. In Tampa Bay's 20-17 win over the Arizona Cardinals, Dixon punted five times for a 48.0 gross average and 46.8 net average, including pinning three punts inside the Arizona 20-yard line and two inside the 10-yard line. His 46.8 net average was his third-highest mark in a game this season, and the highest in a game in which he punted at least four times.
He was one of three punters with multiple punts pinned inside the 10-yard line in Week 13, and the only NFC punter to do so. On the season, Dixon's 20 punts downed inside the opponent 20-yard line are tied for fifth-most in the NFL, while his eight punts downed inside the opponent 10-yard line are tied for sixth-most.
Added Dimension of WR Jalen McMillan
Jalen McMillan returned to practice this week, opening his 21-day window in which he can be activated at any point. He sustained a neck injury in a preseason game against the Steelers, which sidelined him for several months in a neck brace. McMillan has missed the entirety of the 2025 season to this point after posting 37 catches for 461 yards and eight touchdowns. He emerged during the second half of his rookie campaign and his seven touchdown catches over the final six weeks of the regular season led all NFL players. McMillan is a long-strider, who can bait coverage with leverage/fakes and possesses outstanding stop-start capability. He can change tempo throughout his route with ease and can make catches outside of his frame. McMillan will bolster the offense upon his return to action.
"He could do it, of course, in college, and he could do it when he got here in terms of beating man coverage, but where he got to at the end of his rookie season and how he was able to carry that over into training camp was really good to see," said Offensive Coordinator Josh Grizzard. "When you say it's mano-y-mano and that guy's trying to guard him and he can go beat him, that's a great skill set to have in this league. So, his ability to go beat the defender across from him – as well as his YAC (yards after catch) and big-play ability on making people miss as well, so those two things. I think he had a great camp and he looked good out there today, and I know he's heading in the right direction."
