The status of Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield was briefly in question for his team’s season finale against the Carolina Panthers due to a rib injury.
Mayfield ended up playing in the game, leading the Buccaneers to a 9-0 win that clinched the NFC South division title for the club.
However, Mayfield ended up picking up another little injury in the process.
On Wednesday, Mayfield revealed that he is now nursing an ankle issue he sustained this past weekend, and he is grateful that Tampa Bay won’t have to play until Monday.
“Got a little ankle injury pretty early in the game,” Mayfield said, via Sara Walsh of NFL media. “One of those things, as the week goes on feel better and better. Good rehab work done on it, see how it goes. Luckily, the blessing is we play on Monday night. An extra day or rest and recovery for me.”
Mayfield went 20-for-32 with 137 yards in what was an anemic offensive effort by the Bucs against what was a surprisingly strong Panthers defense.
On the season overall, however, Mayfield was impressive, throwing for 4,044 yards, 28 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while completing 64.3 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 94.6.
It has certainly been a nice resurgence for Mayfield, whose career appeared to be on life support after he split the 2022 campaign between the Panthers and the Los Angeles Rams. During that time, he totaled 10 touchdowns and eight picks.
The 28-year-old signed a one-year deal with the Buccaneers last offseason.
Baker Mayfield and Co. will host the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs next Monday. The Bucs and Eagles first met in Tampa all the way back in Week 3, which ended in a 25-11 victory for Philadelphia.
Tampa Bay went 9-8 this season.
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