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Lavonte David Reveals Baker Mayfield Played With ‘A Lot Of Injuries’ In 2025

Originally posted on Bucs Report | Last updated Apr 6, 2026 2:47 PM ET

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield has built a reputation for toughness, routinely playing through injuries. In 2025, that resilience may have been tested more than ever, as he appeared to be battling through a wide range of issues.

Recently retired Tampa Bay linebacker Lavonte David shed light on Baker Mayfield’s numerous bumps and bruises during a recent appearance on The Arena.

“The season’s over now, I can talk about it,” David stated, via JoeBucsFan.com. “Man, Baker was going through a lot, bro. Baker had a lot of injuries that you didn’t expect a quarterback to play through. You know what I’m saying? He had the oblique injury, he had the shoulder injury, he had a lot of things. You know, ankle injury, knee injury. . . . He was really trying to push through and really trying to be the player that we needed him to be.”

Mayfield started all 17 games, appearing on the injury report as questionable just twice. He carried a right biceps injury into Week 4 and was later listed with a left shoulder issue ahead of Week 13.

Baker Mayfield appeared on the injury report in 10 games:

Week 3: Foot/Toe
Week 4: Right Biceps
Week 5: Right Knee/Biceps
Week 8: Knee
Week 10: Knee/Oblique
Week 12: Illness
Week 13: Left Shoulder
Week 14: Left Shoulder
Week 15: Left Shoulder
Week 18: Right Shoulder/Knee

That only reflects what was officially disclosed. If Baker Mayfield didn’t seek treatment or opted to keep certain issues private—such as the ankle injury mentioned by Lavonte David—it wouldn’t have shown up on the report.

The bottom line: Mayfield has consistently shown toughness, determination, and a willingness to play through injury. The situation could become complicated if the team ever determines a fully healthy backup is a better option than a less-than-100 percent Mayfield. If that conversation arose for the Buccaneers in 2025, it stayed behind closed doors, letting Mayfield’s resilience remain the headline.