Baker Mayfield’s early-season struggles have already put the Buccaneers in a tight spot, and now Tampa Bay is dealing with another concern as it gets ready for Minnesota.
Mayfield, who signed a record-setting contract with the Buccaneers, has not delivered the version of himself the team was expecting through two games in 2026. He’s completed 44 of 62 passes for less than 400 yards with one touchdown, and the turnover count has climbed to four, including one interception. The bigger issue has been the way it’s looked: uneasy in the pocket, off-target downfield, and far from steady.
That backdrop makes Wednesday’s development even more notable. Mayfield did not take part in the scheduled press conference after practice, and it was later reported that he was absent because of an undisclosed illness. He was still able to participate fully in practice, but he will speak to the media on Thursday instead of Wednesday.
For a Tampa Bay offense that has already been searching for answers, the timing is less than ideal. The Buccaneers head into Week 3 against the undefeated Minnesota Vikings, and the possibility that Mayfield may not be at full strength raises the stakes even more.
The matchup is made tougher by the presence of Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who has a reputation for making quarterbacks uncomfortable. That’s been the version of Mayfield Tampa Bay has seen this season already, even before the illness entered the picture.
If Mayfield can’t shake this quickly and get back to his best, Sunday could get messy fast for the Buccaneers. The hope in Tampa Bay is that this is nothing more than a minor cold and not something that affects either his play or the week of preparation ahead.
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What makes the frustration sharper is how much of the criticism circles back to the same old concern for this team: whether the coaching has held the defense back and helped push talent out the door. Meanwhile, a look across the state only adds to the sting, with the Jaguars getting early credit under former Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen, a comparison that does Tampa Bay no favors as the heat on Bowles keeps building. [Read more 🡒]