Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield addresses MVP talk after win over 49ers

By Zac Wassink | Last updated Oct 13, 2025 8:57 AM ET

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield heard "MVP" chants from members of the Raymond James Stadium faithful as he guided his club to a 30-19 victory over the San Francisco 49ers that improved the Buccaneers to 5-1 on Sunday.

Following the win, Mayfield addressed the fact that some view him as the league's Most Valuable Player six weeks into the campaign.

Baker Mayfield says 5-1 Buccaneers are "just getting started"

"It's Week 6," Mayfield said, per Jenna Laine of ESPN. "So, got a big one next week. It's awesome to have support, don't get me wrong. But we're just getting started."

As Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk noted, the Buccaneers were without multiple offensive playmakers on Sunday afternoon before exciting rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka hurt his hamstring during the 49ers game. Mayfield nevertheless completed 17-of-23 passes for 256 yards and two touchdowns with zero interceptions versus San Francisco.

In the third quarter, Mayfield produced a pair of highlight-reel plays that sparked "MVP" chants from pockets of home fans.

"OH THAT IS PURE BAKER MAYFIELD." - Jim Nantz pic.twitter.com/xptwIoDGAX
— NFL on CBS (@NFLonCBS) October 12, 2025

TEZ JOHNSON TD! WHAT A CATCH AND WHAT A FLIP

SFvsTB on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/UtKZZW6YXw
— NFL (@NFL) October 12, 2025

Baker Mayfield had Buccaneers HC in disbelief

"I mean, I was in disbelief just like everybody else," Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said about Mayfield's scramble against the 49ers. "It happens every other week or so, and he makes those type of plays and you pray he does not get hurt or anything happens to him. He has a knack, he has a knack that you can't teach or coach, and it was an unbelievable play."

According to ESPN stats, Mayfield ranks sixth in the league among qualified players with a 108.5 passer rating and ninth with a 70.6 adjusted QBR on the season. He's fourth with 1,539 passing yards and tied for third with 12 passing touchdowns. Over Tampa Bay's six games, he tossed just one interception.

As of Monday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had Mayfield third among the betting favorites at +425 odds to claim the MVP Award for the 2025 season. He and the Bucs next play at the Detroit Lions (4-2) on Oct. 20. On Monday, ESPN BET had Tampa Bay as a 5.5-point underdog for that matchup.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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