The Athletic’s bold predictions for the 2026 NFL season gave the Bucs something more believable than some of the league-wide moonshots being tossed around for Tampa Bay’s division rivals. Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson was pegged to break the NFL’s all-purpose yardage record, Carolina was forecast to land a top-five defense, and New Orleans quarterback Tyler Shough was projected to become a Pro Bowler. Tampa Bay’s prediction, by comparison, was rooted in something a lot more familiar: Baker Mayfield putting together the best season of his career.
That’s a serious standard to set, because Mayfield’s best work already came in 2024 under former offensive coordinator Liam Coen. He passed for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns that season, both career highs, while also posting a franchise-best 71.4% completion percentage. The numbers earned him a Pro Bowl spot and helped drive the Bucs to a 10-7 record and an NFC South title.
For Mayfield to top that under new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson and without Mike Evans, that’s a hefty ask. Evans, the future Hall of Famer, was a major part of the offense before injuries cut short his year.
Mayfield’s own 2025 season was also interrupted by a string of problems, including an MCL knee sprain, a shoulder sprain on his non-throwing arm and a bruise on his throwing arm. Tampa Bay went from a 6-2 start to a 2-7 finish, and the Bucs ended up 8-9, losing the division to Carolina on a tiebreaker.
Dan Pompei of The Athletic was the one who made the call on Mayfield for the 2026 preview. He wrote: “Despite losing wide receiver Mike Evans, Mayfield is primed for a bounce-back season for numerous reasons.
Injuries limited him in 2025, and he’s healthy again. At 31, he should be in a zone where peak ability meets high-level understanding, and his specialness should be enhanced by new game planner/play caller Zac Robinson.
He also has extra motivation - Mayfield is playing out the last year of his contract. And even though Evans was his go-to before injury curtailed him last year, Mayfield still has plenty of inviting hands to throw to with Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka, Jalen McMillan, Tez Johnson and Ted Hurst vying for his passes.”
That expectation lines up with what Tampa Bay is clearly trying to build around its quarterback. The team moved on from last year’s offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard, who had no prior play-calling experience, and turned to Robinson to help steer the offense.
A “career-best performance” doesn’t have to mean Mayfield throws for more than 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns. It could also look like a cleaner season with 35 touchdown passes and just 10 interceptions instead of the 16 he threw in 2024, when that total was tied with former Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins for the league lead. It could even mean a slightly less eye-popping stat line if it helps push Tampa Bay past 10 wins and into a better playoff position in the NFC.
However it ends up being defined, the Bucs and their quarterback appear to want the same thing in 2026: the best version of Baker Mayfield.
In Other News...
Buccaneers Future Just Pulled A Familiar Name Into The Bowles Debate
Todd Bowles future in Tampa Bay is going to shape plenty of offseason discussion, but the early speculation is already reaching beyond the current staff. A Bleacher Report piece floated Mike Tomlin as a possible Buccaneers candidate in 2027 if Bowles is no longer on the sideline, and the idea is easy enough to see why it has legs. Tomlin knows the organization from his time here as a defensive backs coach, and he has stayed visible while working in sports broadcasting.
For the Buccaneers, the bigger question is less about one name than about where the franchise is headed by then. If Bowles keeps the team winning, the conversation shifts. If the results change or retirement becomes part of the picture, the search could quickly turn toward an established coach with Tampa Bay ties, which is why Tomlins name is already in the mix even this far out. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Get Encouraging Week 1 Injury News Before Bengals Opener
The Buccaneers got their first injury report of the 2026 season this week, and the early read before the opener against Cincinnati is mostly encouraging. Sean Tucker is still working back from a hamstring injury and is listed as a game-time decision, while Emeka Egbuka, who had been dealing with a sprained toe, was a full participant in practice and looks on track for Sunday.
Jalen McMillan was limited with a knee injury, but the signs around him have been positive, and outside linebacker Rueben Bain also practiced in a limited role because of a minor AC joint sprain. Even with a few players still being managed carefully, the Bucs appear to have avoided the kind of early-season injury pileup that can complicate a Week 1 game plan. [Read more 🡒]
Todd Bowles Enters A Buccaneers Season With No More Excuses
Todd Bowles heads into the Buccaneers 2026 offseason with the kind of pressure that comes with stability, not chaos. Baker Mayfield is under contract, key players are healthy again, and the roster looks positioned to justify bigger expectations than the ones Tampa Bay has been living with in recent years. That changes the conversation around Bowles, because the usual injury excuses and quarterback uncertainty are no longer there to soften the edges.
The Athletic recently put Bowles third on its list of NFL head coaches most likely to be fired in 2026, a reminder that the league is always quick to turn up the heat when results lag behind talent. For Bowles, the next stretch is less about explaining away setbacks and more about proving the Buccaneers can take the next step with the pieces already in place. The margin for patience is shrinking, and the season ahead may say plenty about how long that leash really is. [Read more 🡒]