Baker Mayfield just got the perfect chance to shut his critics up for good

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have one of the NFL’s toughest schedules in 2026.

In addition to their NFC South foes, they'll face the NFC North and AFC North divisions, which presents matchups against the Packers, Bears, Lions, Vikings, Ravens, Bengals, Steelers, and Browns. 

The Bucs will round out their schedule with matchups against the Chargers, Lions, and Cowboys. 

Almost all of the non-divisional opponents are legitimate playoff contenders, with the exception of the Cleveland Browns. It’s an absolutely brutal slate that will test what the Bucs are made of.

If they can overcome the challenge, nobody would benefit more than Baker Mayfield. 

Baker Mayfield’s path to MVP is crystal clear 

Mayfield was an early front runner in the MVP race last season when he had the Bucs sitting at 6-2, until injuries derailed his season and impacted his performance in the second half of the season. 

He’s caught a lot of criticism this offseason for his subpar play down the stretch, but to say he has a chance to silence the critics this season would be an understatement. 

The Bucs won’t be able to win many games on their 2026 schedule without a heroic effort from their quarterback. 

If Mayfield can rebound and lead the Buccaneers to say, 10 or 11 wins and a return to the playoffs, he’ll earn some serious consideration as the NFL MVP. 

Of course, he’s not going into the season with individual accomplishments on the mind. All that matters is that the Buccaneers get back into the postseason after missing the playoffs last year for the first time since 2019.

Heading into his fourth year as a Buccaneer, which happens to be a contract year, Mayfield is facing his toughest test yet — and he has a chance to prove himself as a legitimate franchise quarterback. 

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