Baker Mayfield is the embodiment of football spirit. His all-in attitude makes it obvious why Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans adore him.
The quarterback's chaotic leadership and unmatched energy were on full display on Monday Night in the Bucs' close win over the Houston Texans. He led his team to a narrow victory, but he certainly paid the price for it with more than a few brutal hits.
Every time Baker went down, he had fans crossing their fingers and hoping that he would get back up and shake it off.
Baker Mayfield barely made it through Buccaneers win without injury
The Texans' defensive line is already one of the most menacing units in the NFL. When you're missing your superstar left tackle, they're even scarier. Then, when your other starting tackle goes down early in the game, they become an absolute nightmare.
Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter were getting pressure all night. They combined for three of Houston's four sacks, but their presence was felt on nearly every pass attempt. Throughout the game, Baker had to either get the ball out quickly or deliver a pass as he was getting hit.
There were multiple moments of panic when the Buccaneers' quarterback sent fans into full panic mode by limping, holding his knee, or taking his time peeling himself off the ground. After one particular hit, the quarterback got up slowly and was seen holding his left leg. But time after time, he got on his feet and went at it again.
Though he was clearly feeling the pain, Mayfield didn't let the hits stop him from playing at his best. He was still willing to take off with the ball late in the game, risking his body for the sake of the win.
Of course, the Bucs star was all smiles after the game. When asked about his offensive line's performance, he was nothing but complimentary. Of the Texans' pass rushers, he said, "Those guys are gonna win their matchups every once in a while. That's just the way football works. They get paid to."
It was a heroic performance by Mayfield, but it's not one that fans will want to see happen too often. This team can't afford to have its star quarterback under fire for the majority of each game. As the season progresses, Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke can't get back on the field soon enough.