Baker Mayfield walked into Thursday’s press conference with the contract issue already laid out in plain English: he had set a deadline for a new deal before training camp, and once that window closed, football would be the only thing on his mind. The Buccaneers didn’t move fast enough, and now the quarterback they’ve treated as their franchise answer is headed toward the season with no new agreement in place.
Mayfield didn’t hide how that landed. He said, “I really know what I've brought to this franchise leadership-wise and even play-wise,” and added, “It's been some of the best years of my career, and I think it's only gonna trend upwards.
Just being comfortable and feeling that, so, disappointing in that regard to not, you know, feel disrespected a little bit. And that's really the disappointing part to feel undervalued after thinking you've earned it.”
He also put the feeling into a shorter, sharper line: “To feel disrespected a little bit, and that's really the disappointing part.”
The backdrop here matters. Mayfield has made Tampa home and has been clear that he wants to stay.
Even with that, the Buccaneers reportedly came in with a two-year offer that didn’t match the way he sees his value. That stings even more because ownership had already said publicly that they viewed him as their franchise quarterback.
For Oklahoma fans, though, this is familiar territory. Mayfield’s career has been built on being doubted, overlooked, and pushed aside.
He was disrespected as a recruit, then became the first walk-on ever to start at quarterback as a true freshman for a Power 5 program at Texas Tech. After that came another slight, and then at OU he turned into a Heisman Trophy winner and the No. 1 overall draft pick, one of the greatest college quarterbacks ever.
The NFL version has followed a similar path. The Browns were part of that story too, and after he became an NFL journeyman in 2022, he landed in Tampa and has now put himself back in the conversation as the closest thing the Buccaneers have had to a franchise quarterback.
That’s why this feels like such a dangerous moment for Tampa. Mayfield has made a habit of turning disrespect into fuel, and Sooners fans know exactly where that can lead. He was an MVP candidate just last season before injuries wrecked the Buccaneers and changed the picture.
If the Bucs get the version of Mayfield that shows up when he feels slighted, they could get a quarterback playing at an MVP level. The problem is that kind of performance doesn’t come cheap, and by March it could cost more than it would have now.
The bigger risk for Tampa is obvious: become the next Texas Tech or Cleveland Browns on Mayfield’s list. If that happens, they’ll know exactly what kind of response they helped create.
In Other News...
Oklahoma Just Added A 2028 Opponent Amid More Schedule Chaos
Oklahomas 2028 non-conference slate is already taking shape, and it now includes a game against Missouri State alongside home dates with Temple and Colorado State and a road trip to Houston. The Sooners have been steadily filling out future schedules, and the list of opponents already stretches well beyond that season, with Utah State, San Diego State, SMU, Nebraska and Clemson all appearing on the calendar through 2036.
Still, the full picture for 2028 is not settled. Financial considerations could force Oklahoma to trim the schedule, with Temple or Colorado State potentially the game that gets dropped, so the Sooners are not yet locked into all four non-conference matchups. It is another reminder that even with the long-range planning in place, the business side of scheduling can still reshape what the Sooners ultimately play. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma Could Be Sitting On A Jersey Patch Game Changer
Oklahomas next move in the revenue game could be as visible as it is lucrative. Athletic director Roger Denny confirmed the school is exploring a sponsored jersey patch, a step that would put the Sooners in the same growing lane as recent high-profile deals at Ohio State and Notre Dame. With Oklahomas reach across multiple sports and a national profile that still carries plenty of brand value, the possibility has become more than just a theoretical exercise.
Denny, though, is making clear that the university does not want to force the issue just to be first. The Sooners are taking a deliberate approach and weighing the long-term fit of any corporate partnership, which means the patch may be coming, but not on a hurried timeline. For a program that understands both the business and the optics of these decisions, the challenge is finding the deal that feels worthwhile enough to wear every time the jerseys take the field. [Read more 🡒]
OU Just Got A Massive Special Teams Edge For 2026
Oklahomas special teams picture for 2026 is starting to look unusually stable, and that matters on a roster that has been leaning on consistency wherever it can find it. Redshirt senior Tate Sandell is back after winning the Lou Groza Award and setting program records, choosing another year in Norman instead of heading to the NFL Draft, while punter Grayson Miller returns after earning all-SEC first-team honors. With Isaiah Sategna also back as the punt returner, the Sooners enter the offseason with rare continuity in the kicking game.
There is still a little sorting out left, though, especially in the punting competition. Miller is set to battle Jacob Ulrich for the starting job as Ulrich works back from a hamstring injury, and Oklahoma has also added running back Lloyd Avant as a possible kickoff-return option. For a team trying to sharpen every edge before 2026, special teams may end up being one of the easiest places to gain it. [Read more 🡒]