The sour turn that Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ contract talks took in July has finally led to a happy place. The star QB, who felt ‘disrespected’ by the team’s lowball offer back then, has inked a historic contract – the largest one in Buccaneers history – just days before the first kickoff of the 2026 season.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter and RapSheet were the first to break the news about the two-time Pro Bowler’s contract extension. Schefter, through an X post, noted that Mayfield and the Buccaneers finally reached an agreement for a three-year, $165 million extension, stopping Mayfield from heading into free agency.
“Baker’s arrival marked an important new chapter for our organization, and over the past three years he has established himself as the unquestioned leader of our franchise,” Joel Glazer, owner and co-chairman of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, stated. “This contract – the largest in the history of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – reflects our belief in Baker and his leadership both on and off the field.”
“His competitive spirit, resilience and commitment to winning embody everything we want in our players. Baker and his wife, Emily, have made a meaningful impact in the Tampa Bay community, and we are thrilled their family will continue to call Tampa Bay home for years to come.”
Mayfield began his career in Tampa Bay with a $4 million, one-year contract in 2023, being faced with the uphill task of replacing Tom Brady. Despite that weight on his shoulders, Mayfield went above and beyond, made it to the Pro Bowls in 2023 and 2024, and even led the Bucs to two consecutive NFC South championship titles.
Keeping his performance in the 2023 season in mind (9-8-0 record with 364 completions for 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns), the Buccaneers signed him to a $100 million extension in 2024.
On that new deal, Mayfield produced even better numbers than before. He had a record of 10-7, completed 407 passes for 4,500 yards, and scored 41 touchdowns. He further ensured that the Buccaneers entered their fifth straight postseason.
Though his production dropped last season, as he completed 343 passes for 3,693 yards and 26 TDs, he couldn’t believe that the Buccaneers didn’t consider him a $50 million-plus talent in their initial offer this year.
But now, Mayfield is tied for the third-highest annual salary among the quarterbacks with $55 million a year. He’s standing beside names like Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, Trevor Lawrence, Matthew Stafford, and Jordan Love.
Initially, Mayfield and his agent reportedly rejected a two-year offer that was ‘pretty far’ from the $50 million-plus club. Well, the quarterback believed that he deserved much better. And that led to a period of uncertainty through the offseason.
Baker Mayfield’s ‘Franchise Quarterback’ Mindset Made Him Feel ‘Undervalued’
June and July were tough months for Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht had affirmed that Mayfield was a “franchise quarterback,” but the 2018 No. 1 Draft Pick struggled to swallow that amid the unfavorable contract talks.
“I think I’m a franchise quarterback,” Mayfield bluntly said in July. “I’ve been told I’m a franchise quarterback. It’s been said publicly from ownership down here, and so to not having a deal done is very disappointing. It’s disappointing in that regard, to feel disrespected a little bit. That’s really the disappointing part to feel undervalued after you think you’ve earned it.”
Mayfield made it clear that he wasn’t trying to play the victim in any way, but when he compared himself with other top QBs, he couldn’t find a reason why the $50 million tag would be hard to justify for the role he has played for the Bucs.
“This is not a ‘poor me’ thing today,” Mayfield added. “There’s a lot of other people who have it way worse off. But I can sit here and look at other quarterbacks and peers and evaluate myself based on that and put myself in certain categories that I deserved to be compensated for that.”
Previously, Jason Licht clarified that the team respects Mayfield and wanted him to focus on the season ahead. But Mayfield wanted to get a deal that was good enough to help him find a more lucrative deal out of free agency in 2027. Now, he can expect something similar in 2030.
After months of public posturing and tense boardroom negotiations, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers finally paid their franchise quarterback what he felt he deserved. Mayfield’s journey from a heavily doubted former No. 1 pick to one of the highest-paid players in NFL history is nothing short of remarkable.
The Buccaneers kick off their 2026 season against the Bengals on Sunday, September 13.