Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield has always played his best football with something to prove.
With the way he’s been constantly disrespected throughout this offseason, he should enter the 2026 season with a huge chip on his shoulder and plenty of motivation.
Baker Mayfield brutally disrespected in QB rankings
Baker Mayfield put on an MVP-caliber performance through the first half of last season, leading the Bucs to a 6-2 record through eight games. He was gaining national respect as one of the NFL’s most elite quarterbacks.
But Mayfield and the Bucs fell off a cliff in the second half of the season, finishing 8-9 and missing the postseason. Mayfield’s individual performance declined, but he was also dealing with a slew of injuries to both himself and his teammates.
Suddenly, the football world seemingly forgot about the elite play Mayfield has proven to be capable of.
In the latest example of that phenomenon, NBC Sports’ Phil Perry ranked every 2026 starter ahead of OTAs.
He broke his ranking into tiers, and Mayfield landed in the “You’re On The Clock” tier, ranking as the No. 20 starting quarterback in the NFL. To say Mayfield is on the clock is quite a take. Through three seasons in Tampa Bay, he put up two solid, but imperfect seasons (2023, 2025) and one truly elite season (2024).
He’s well on his way to a long-term extension, and the organization is set on him as their franchise quarterback going forward. He’s been above average for much of his time in Tampa Bay, including half of last season, where he carried the team on his back for a handful of come-from-behind victories.
Mayfield ranking behind quarterbacks like Kyler Murray and Bo Nix feels a bit low. He’s at least on the same tier as guys like Jared Goff (15), Brock Purdy (14), and Trevor Lawrence (12) — but those players are ranked comfortably above Mayfield.
Ultimately, it’s just more bulletin board material, and Mayfield has the chance to embark on a revenge tour in 2026 and remind everyone just how good he can be.
The Bucs will need their quarterback at his absolute best if they want to re-claim a much improved NFC South and return to the playoffs in a pivotal season for the franchise.
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