The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Baker Mayfield have agreed on a new four-year contract with a three-year extension that locks in one of the most productive quarterbacks in the NFL through the 2029 season and makes him the highest-paid player in franchise history. Through his first three seasons (2023-25) as the Buccaneers' starting quarterback, Mayfield ranks second in the NFL in touchdown passes (95) and third in passing yards (12,237) and has led the team to a pair of division championships.
"Baker's arrival marked an important new chapter for our organization, and over the past three years he has established himself as the unquestioned leader of our franchise" said Buccaneers Owner/Co-Chairman Joel Glazer. "This contract — the largest in the history of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — reflects our belief in Baker, and his leadership both on and off the field. His competitive spirit, resilience and commitment to winning embody everything we want in our players. Baker and his wife, Emily, have made a meaningful impact in the Tampa Bay community and we are thrilled their family will continue to call Tampa Bay home for years to come."
This is the third contract that Mayfield and the Buccaneers have executed. In 2023, he signed a one-year "prove-it" deal and entered into a competition with Kyle Trask to succeed Tom Brady as the Bucs' starting quarterback. Mayfield certainly proved it, producing one of the most prolific passing campaigns in franchise history with 4,044 yards and 28 touchdown passes as the Bucs won the NFC South and a postseason contest. That led to a new three-year contract, which Mayfield immediately justified with an even more impressive season, as he threw for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns in 2024 while guiding the Bucs to a 10-7 record and another division title.
"Baker is the ultimate competitor, and the guys in our locker room feed off the energy, confidence and toughness he brings every day," said Head Coach Todd Bowles. "He prepares the right way, holds himself accountable and is an unquestioned leader for our team. His belief in himself and this team never wavers, and he sets the tone for us every day. That is what you want from the person leading your football team, and we are excited to continue building with him as our quarterback."
Mayfield was set to enter the final year of that contract in 2026 but now can settle in as the leader of the Bucs' offense for the foreseeable future. On Monday, he was one of six players voted in as a team captain by his teammates.
View the best photos of Baker Mayfield from the 2025 NFL Season.
ATLANTA, GA - September 07, 2025 - Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 and Wide Receiver Sterling Shepard #17 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons. The Bucs won the game, 23-20. Photo By Doug DeFelice/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
ATLANTA, GA - September 07, 2025 - Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons. The Bucs won the game, 23-20. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
HOUSTON, TX - September 15, 2025 - Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the Monday Night Football game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Houston Texans. The Bucs won the game, 20-19. Photo By Mike Carlson/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
HOUSTON, TX - September 15, 2025 - Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the Monday Night Football game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Houston Texans. The Bucs won the game, 20-19. Photo By Mike Carlson/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
HOUSTON, TX - September 15, 2025 - Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before the Monday Night Football game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Houston Texans. The Bucs won the game, 20-19. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
HOUSTON, TX - September 15, 2025 - Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before the Monday Night Football game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Houston Texans. The Bucs won the game, 20-19. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
HOUSTON, TX - September 15, 2025 - Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the Monday Night Football game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Houston Texans. The Bucs won the game, 20-19. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
HOUSTON, TX - September 15, 2025 - Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the Monday Night Football game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Houston Texans. The Bucs won the game, 20-19. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - September 21, 2025 - Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the game between the New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs won the game, 29-27. Photo By Doug DeFelice/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - September 21, 2025 - Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the game between the New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs won the game, 29-27. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - September 21, 2025 - Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and his daughter before the game between the New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs won the game, 29-27. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - September 28, 2025 - Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs lost the game, 31-25. Photo By Kyle Zedaker/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
SEATTLE, WA - October 05, 2025 - Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks. The Bucs won the game, 38-35. Photo By Kyle Zedaker/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
SEATTLE, WA - October 05, 2025 - Center Graham Barton #62 and Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks. The Bucs won the game, 38-35. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
SEATTLE, WA - October 05, 2025 - Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks. The Bucs won the game, 38-35. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - October 12, 2025 - Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before the game between the San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs won the game, 30-19. Photo By Kyle Zedaker/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - October 12, 2025 - Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and his daughter before the game between the San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs won the game, 30-19. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - October 12, 2025 - Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the game between the San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs won the game, 30-19. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - October 12, 2025 - Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the game between the San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs won the game, 30-19. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
DETROIT, MI - October 20, 2025 - Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before the Monday Night Football game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions. The Bucs lost the game, 24-9. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NEW ORLEANS, LA - October 26, 2025 - Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints. The Bucs won the game, 23-3. Photo By Kyle Zedaker/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - November 09, 2025 - Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 and Running Back Rachaad White #1 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the game between the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs lost the game, 28-23. Photo By Kyle Zedaker/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
ORCHARD PARK, NY - November 16, 2025 - Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers scores a touchdown during the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Buffalo Bills. The Bucs lost the game, 44-32. Photo By Kyle Zedaker/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
ORCHARD PARK, NY - November 16, 2025 - Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Buffalo Bills. The Bucs lost the game, 44-32. Photo By Kyle Zedaker/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
INGLEWOOD, CA - November 23, 2025 - Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Rams. The Bucs lost the game, 34-7. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - December 07, 2025 - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints during a regular season game at Raymond James Stadium. The Bucs lost the game, 24-20. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - December 11, 2025 - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons during a regular season game at Raymond James Stadium. The Bucs lost the game, 29-28. Photo By Kyle Zedaker/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
CHARLOTTE, NC - December 21, 2025 - Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers. The Bucs lost the game, 23-20. Photo By Kyle Zedaker/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL - January 03, 2026 - The Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers play a regular season game at Raymond James Stadium. The Bucs won the game, 16-14. Photo By Tori Richman/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
After an injury-plagued 2025 campaign in which Mayfield, most of the team's offensive line, star running back Bucky Irving and multiple wide receivers missed significant time, the Buccaneers are ready to reestablish themselves as the team that won four straight division titles from 2021-24. Locking in Mayfield, who beyond his impressive passing numbers is also well-established as the team's emotional leader due to his win-at-all-cost approach, brings more stability and optimism to that effort.
"From the moment Baker arrived, he brought a belief and competitive edge that has had a tremendous impact on our football team," said General Manager Jason Licht. "He has earned the respect of everyone in our building with the way he prepares, competes and holds himself accountable. His toughness and ability to deliver in big moments are a big part of what makes him special, but what really stands out is the leadership he brings every day. Baker is the heartbeat of this team, and we feel incredibly fortunate to have a quarterback and leader like him."
Mayfield originally entered the NFL as the first-overall pick by the Cleveland Browns in the 2018 draft. He threw 75 touchdown passes in his first three seasons and guided the Browns to an 11-5 record and a postseason win over Pittsburgh in his third season, but was limited by a shoulder injury in 2021. Cleveland elected to trade for former Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson in the following offseason and later dealt Mayfield to the Carolina Panthers. After a tumultuous stretch in Charlotte, he was eventually released late in the 2022 season and signed by the Rams, for whom he memorably produced a stunning comeback win over the Raiders just days after arriving in Los Angeles. Mayfield's impressive cameo for the Rams led to the Bucs' interest in the 2023 offseason and the end result has been a relationship both sides have been eager to extend multiple times.
In just three seasons as the Buccaneers' starting quarterback, Mayfield has already put himself among the franchise's all-time leaders in multiple passing categories. With his new deal in place, he will have the opportunity to chase down the top spot on all those lists, such as career passing yards, where he would need just 2,584 more to climb all the way to second place and 7,501 to pass Jameis Winston for first place. His 95 touchdown passes rank third in team history and are just 26 behind Winston (121) for the top spot.
