The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and quarterback Baker Mayfield have agreed to a three-year contract worth $100 million with $50 million guaranteed, sources told ESPN on Sunday.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Mayfield is scheduled to make $30 million in 2024, $30 million in 2025 (with $20 million guaranteed) and $40 million in 2026. He has $5 million in annual incentives, and the maximum value of his contract is $115 million.
Mayfield confirmed the deal in a statement to Schefter.
“I wanted a chance to come back,” Mayfield said. “I love Coach. [Todd] bowls and staff. I'm happy to be here and I want to win more in the postseason.”
Mayfield signed a one-year contract worth $4 million with the Buccaneers in March 2023, and was given the big role of replacing seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady.
Mayfield led the Bucks to impressive road wins against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1 and the New Orleans Saints in Week 4. But that's what he did late in the season, leading the Bucks to wins in five of the last five games. That dramatically changed the fortunes of his team and revived his career.
First came a 29-25 come-from-behind victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 14, when Mayfield connected with tight end Cade Otton for an 11-yard touchdown with 36 seconds left. And in Week 15, when the Bucs defeated the Green Bay Packers 34-20, Mayfield became the first opposing quarterback in NFL history to post a perfect passer rating of 158.3 at Lambeau Field. He threw for 381 yards and four touchdowns in that game. His next game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16 was a 30-12 victory with a two-touchdown performance.
Mayfield's 28 touchdowns during the regular season ranked seventh in the league, a career high for him. His touchdown-interception ratio of 2.8 tied him for ninth in the league with San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. His 4,044 passing yards also ranked ninth, the most in a single season in Mayfield's career. He also posted a career-high completion percentage of 64.3.
In the wild card round of the playoffs, Mayfield threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns in a 32–9 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. The following week in the divisional round, Mayfield passed for 349 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions in a 31–23 loss to the Detroit Lions. Mayfield's 106.3 passer rating in those two playoff games was the highest of any Buccaneers quarterback in postseason history. His postseason touchdown-interception rate of 3.0 matched Brady's during his time with the Buccaneers.
Mayfield, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft, led the Cleveland Browns to their first playoff victory in 26 years after the 2020 season. However, he was traded to the Carolina Panthers in July 2022 after the Browns acquired Deshaun Watson. The Panthers waived Wayfield after he went 1-5 as a starter in 2022, and Mayfield played five games with the Los Angeles Rams.
Mayfield's agent, Tom Mills, said in a statement to ESPN's Jenna Lane that after his client was fired by the Panthers, “He never complained and always pushed himself. “I believed in him. This contract is a result not only of his ability, but of his attitude.” And he is grateful to the Buccaneers for giving him the opportunity to continue his career.”
In addition to his on-field efforts this season, Mayfield and his wife, Emily, founded the Baker and Emily Mayfield Foundation in Tampa to “level the playing field” for underprivileged children and their families. Established and held an event in support of the Hillsborough County Early Learning Coalition. Boys & Girls Club of Tampa Bay.
Mayfield, 28, has 20,322 passing yards, 130 touchdowns and 74 interceptions in his career.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler contributed to this report.
