The Tampa Bay Buccaneers played host to one of the greatest individual quarterback seasons of the last few years in 2024, as quarterback Baker Mayfield went from a disgraced former No. 1 pick to a high-end passer capable of building the Bucs into an offensive juggernaut.
Mayfield not only completing 71% of his passes this season, but he threw for 4,500 yards and an astonishing 41 touchdowns. Those numbers are mind-bending in a vacuum, but they are even more impressive in context.
Mayfield's 2024 season was only the 18th in NFL history in which a player threw for more than 40 touchdowns. Hall of Famers Peyton Manning, Dan Marino, and Kurt Warner have five of the seasons to their name, while future Hall of Famers Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Drew Brees have six of the remaining years.
Active greats like Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Joe Burrow hit this mark as well, and frine Hall fo Famer Matthew Stafford did this twice. Being included with all these legends makes this one of the most unlikely historic seasons in recent NFL history.
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield in elite company with 41 TD pass 2024 campaign
Mayfield does have a great situation, to be fair. Offensive coordinator Liam Coen seems destined to be a head coach in the near future, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are a tremendous wide receiver tandem, and Bucky Irving's emergence gives Tampa Bay a standout running game.
However, Mayfield has shown to be capable of overcoming some chaos. The offensive line struggled through some injuries, Godwin was knocked out for the rest of the regular season, and his defense gave him so few favors this year they needed a Week 18 miracle to even make it to the postseason.
Mayfield, who signed a three-year contract in the offseason that is looking even better with each passing week, has evolved as a quarterback. While he used to be a quarterback who needed a great system around him to succeed, he is now capable of elevating the talent around him to another level.
The Bucs are poised to once again rule the roost in the NFC South, as they have far and away the best quarterback in the division. Mayfield is on the verge of becoming a Tampa Bay legend, as he is taking aim at every passing record worth a damn in the history of this franchise.