Tampa Bay Buccaneers News

Home

Quizzes

Watch

Newsletter

Dec 11, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) looks on against the Atlanta Falcons during the fourth quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Buccaneers Owners Believe in Baker Mayfield Despite Questions

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI
By River Wells | Last updated Apr 2, 2026 10:53 AM ET

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, like every other team, are doing their last-minute preparations for the NFL Draft at the end of the month. General manager Jason Licht is preparing his war room for a crucial draft, as the Buccaneers have a lot of needs — particularly on defense.

There's another point of order for the Bucs, though, and it has to do with their quarterback. Licht brought Baker Mayfield to Tampa Bay in 2023, and he's largely impressed since then, playing good football and helping the Bucs win two NFC South titles in a row. The Bucs rewarded him with a three-year contract worth $100 million in 2024, but now, he enters the last year of that deal after an MVP start in 2025 turned sour with a big losing streak and an 8-9 finish.

There has been talk of an extension for Mayfield, and Mayfield will certainly want to get that done. But Licht isn't the only person that he'll need to convince, as Tampa Bay's owners, the Glazer Family, would be the ones cutting the check.

So, are the Glazers on board with that? It sure sounds like it.

Glazer Family believes in Baker Mayfield

Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Buccaneers media outlet JoeBucsFan spoke with owner Joel Glazer in Arizona, and Glazer told media that a Mayfield extension would be entirely up to Licht and his staff.

"That’s part of [GM] Jason [Licht’s] planning and everything. And I know Jason is looking at all, not only [Mayfield], any other contract," Glazer said, per JoeBucsFan. "And it’s a constant thing that you look at. That’s something that Jason and [assistant GM] Mike [Greenberg] and his staff, [VP of football research] Jackie [Davidson], carefully evaluate, and there’s a time and a place for everything. And everything always takes care of itself."

That being said, though, Glazer's opinion in the matter is still very important — the Glazer Family is the one writing the checks, after all. And when asked if they personally like Mayfield and are willing to give him a huge extension if Licht believed that to be the best way forward, Glazer had no hesitation in answering.

"Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. I mean, he’s gone above and beyond anything we could have asked or hoped of Baker. Everybody loves him. He performs on the field, gives 250 percent when he’s on that field. And that’s all you can ask," Glazer said. "That doesn’t hurt at all to write that check. It’s something that all the teams do if you have a good quarterback.”

Mayfield had a very strong year in 2024 under OC Liam Coen, and he had an incredible start to his 2025 under OC Josh Grizzard. Things took a serious downturn in the latter half of the year, however, as Mayfield regressed significantly and the Bucs lost seven of their last nine games.

It seems as if Licht and Mayfield's camp are already talking about an extension this offseason. If he does get one, he'll have to prove he's worth it, and if he doesn't, he'll try to earn as much money as he can for the coming offseason when he would become a free agent.

A Mayfield extension may be a hefty price, but it's clearly one that Glazer and his family are willing to pay. But time will tell if Licht believes that's the best move for the Bucs this offseason.