Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles shares warning for Baker Mayfield amid contract uncertainty

Quarterback Baker Mayfield dealt with an injury to his non-throwing shoulder as the 2025 Tampa Bay Buccaneers suffered a brutal collapse that involved the club going from 6-2 to missing out on the playoffs.

While speaking with reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine on Tuesday, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles shared somewhat of a warning for Mayfield regarding what the signal-caller should and shouldn't do during future games. 

Buccaneers "have full confidence in" Baker Mayfield, but...

"I think he is who he is," Bowles said about Mayfield, per Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. "He’s got to be smarter than that, especially in the second half of the season when you get guys down. So, he’s got to be a little smarter taking care of his body so we can have the availability there. But being with us three years now, we know who he is. We trust him completely, and we have full confidence in him."

Mayfield suffered his injury in Week 12 of the campaign and seemingly wasn't the same player after that moment. While he tossed three interceptions over his first 10 games of the season, he was intercepted eight times and lost one of four fumbles across the Buccaneers' final seven contests. 

Mayfield was routinely praised by teammates and coaches for his toughness across the first three seasons of his Tampa Bay tenure. That said, few would deny that history has shown Mayfield is far from at his best when banged up.  

"Baker can play," Bowles added during his comments. "We’ve had him for three years now. We’ve gotten to know him. He’s the same guy we’ve known for three years. He’s won some great games for us. We haven’t finished, especially this past year, the way we wanted to. And there’s some interceptions he’d like to have back, but he knows that. But we’re very confident in Baker and looking forward to him being better this year."

"Everything’s on the table right now" regarding Baker Mayfield's Buccaneers future

Back in March 2024, Mayfield and the Buccaneers agreed to a three-year contract. During Tuesday's edition of the "Pro Football Talk Live" program, Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht said that "everything’s on the table right now" as it pertains to keeping Mayfield with the team beyond the 2026 season. 

"I don’t have a timeline for that, but our plans revolve around Baker in the future, so I don’t think anybody wants to see Baker leave the organization," Licht explained. "We know everything we need to know about Baker, being with him for three years, and everything is positive. He’s tough as hell, great leader. No timeline, but all plans revolve around Baker." 

Assuming Licht was being honest, one would think such plans would "revolve around" the Buccaneers inking Mayfield to at least a short-term extension before training-camp practices get underway later this summer.