Baker Mayfield Fined for Touchdown Celebration, Shares Heartfelt Moment with Daughter Before Week 13 Win
Baker Mayfield’s Week 13 was full of emotion, energy-and now, a little bit lighter in the wallet.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback was fined $14,491 by the NFL for what the league deemed a “violent” celebration during the Bucs’ 20-17 win over the Arizona Cardinals. The moment in question came after rookie running back Bucky Irving found the end zone.
Mayfield joined him in the end zone for a handshake celebration that the league apparently didn’t find amusing. Since it wasn’t Mayfield’s first offense this season, the fine came down swiftly.
Irving, who was participating in his first penalized celebration, was fined $6,349.
The Bucs, for their part, didn’t see anything malicious in the moment. In fact, they embraced it.
The team posted the clip on social media during the game, calling it “the best handshake in football.” That’s a far cry from the league’s stance, which categorized the gesture as excessive.
Mayfield’s wife, Emily, also voiced her frustration, particularly with the NFL labeling the handshake as “violent.” While the league has been cracking down on celebrations deemed over the top, this one-at least from the outside-looked more like a bit of harmless swagger than anything else.
And swagger is something the Bucs have been desperate to get back. Saturday’s win snapped a three-game losing skid and gave Tampa Bay a much-needed boost as they fight to stay atop the NFC South. With the Saints coming to town in Week 14, the Bucs have a chance to build on that momentum and put some distance between themselves and the chasing Panthers.
But before Mayfield was leading touchdown drives or drawing fines, he was just “Dad.” In a quiet moment before kickoff, Mayfield walked over to the sideline at Raymond James Stadium and scooped up his one-year-old daughter, Kova. It’s become a pregame ritual for the Mayfield family-Baker, his wife Emily, and little Kova sharing a few moments together before the chaos begins.
This time, the Bucs captured the moment and shared it on Instagram, affectionately dubbing their quarterback “Daddy Baker.” Kova was decked out in her dad’s No. 6 throwback jersey, complete with a matching bow-clearly ready to cheer on her dad in style.
The Mayfields welcomed Kova in April 2024, and the family is growing. Just last month, Baker and Emily announced they’re expecting their second child-a boy-due in April 2026.
So yes, Mayfield may have taken a financial hit this week, but he walked away with a win on the field, a viral moment with his daughter, and the kind of team camaraderie that’s tough to quantify. And as the Bucs look to make a late-season push, those moments-both the personal and the professional-are starting to stack up in a big way.