Giving Baker Mayfield the reins of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was always paradoxical. You see, the Bucs had just bid adieu to legendary quarterback Tom Brady after his three-year stay produced playoff appearances and their first Super Bowl in 17 years. But Mayfield, after entering Berea as the Cleveland Browns’ first overall pick, seemed to have lost his charm. In fact, he was on the brink of becoming a journeyman when the Bucs offered him a one-year/ $4 million trial contract in 2023. Always the warrior, though, Mayfield did what he does best: prove everyone wrong and win.

That winning season later, Mayfield expected an extension. But he grew so impatient that he directly texted general manager Jason Licht a rather colorful message: “Can we get this f—ing thing done?” Thankfully, Licht not only knew that Mayfield came in hot but also loved that attitude. Also, he had already finalized deal terms with the QB’s agent, Tom Mills. This year, however, Mayfield realized that the team was ready to publicly call him a franchise QB but not pay up. When it seemed like his deadlock negotiations with the team meant that he should pack his bags after this season, the Bucs obliged. And as it turns out, his previous comments on the franchise were probably about a devil in the details and not the money.

On Tuesday, the Bucs announced that they have agreed to an extension with the two-time Pro Bowler, ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport reported first. Mayfield signed a three-year, $165 million deal after he had ended the ongoing discussions according to his personally set deadline: the training camp. He aimed to focus on the season at hand for one specific reason.

Last season, Mayfield could not deliver a winning season but had played all games through at least half a dozen injuries, showing he had everything that the Bucs were looking for. This year, he is prepared for much better results, “because I’m going to have a great year.” If he succeeded, the contract terms would improve if he became a free agent come February. And while the Bucs had already extended a two-year offer to Mayfield, there were two issues:

First, while it reached his $50 million per year expectations, it wasn’t competitive enough, as it would’ve ranked him 13th in salary among NFL QBs. Considering he had the best year of any NFL QB in 2024, statistically, and the NFL salary cap is expected to rise in coming years, a bigger number was expected. Second, it was not long enough for someone who was considered ‘a franchise QB.’ But with all that said and done, the team ensured they responded to Mayfield’s previous “disrespect” with how they really see him.

“Baker’s arrival marked an important new chapter for our organization, and over the past three years he has established himself as the unquestioned leader of our franchise,” Joel Glazer, owner and co-chairman of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, stated. “This contract – the largest in the history of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – reflects our belief in Baker and his leadership both on and off the field.

“His competitive spirit, resilience, and commitment to winning embody everything we want in our players. Baker and his wife, Emily, have made a meaningful impact in the Tampa Bay community, and we are thrilled their family will continue to call Tampa Bay home for years to come.”

With this contract, Mayfield is tied for the third-highest annual salary among the quarterbacks with $55 million a year. He’s standing beside names like Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, Trevor Lawrence, Matthew Stafford, and Jordan Love. Initially, Mayfield and his agent reportedly rejected a two-year offer that was ‘pretty far’ from the $50 million-plus club, and the QB couldn’t believe that the Buccaneers didn’t consider him that kind of a talent, leading to a period of uncertainty through the offseason. 

Baker Mayfield felt ‘Undervalued’, but shared thoughts on his Tampa Bay future

June and July were tough months for Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Licht had affirmed that Mayfield was a “franchise quarterback,” but that didn’t reflect in the contract talks they had with the 2018 No. 1 Draft Pick.

“I think I’m a franchise quarterback,” Mayfield bluntly said in July. “I’ve been told I’m a franchise quarterback. It’s been said publicly from ownership down here, and so to not having a deal done is very disappointing. It’s disappointing in that regard, to feel disrespected a little bit. That’s really the disappointing part to feel undervalued after you think you’ve earned it.

“This is not a ‘poor me’ thing today. There’s a lot of other people who have it way worse off. But I can sit here and look at other quarterbacks and peers and evaluate myself based on that and put myself in certain categories that I deserved to be compensated for that.”

Previously, Jason Licht clarified that the team respects Mayfield and wanted him to focus on the season ahead. But Mayfield wanted to get a deal that was good enough to help him find a more lucrative deal out of free agency in 2027. Now, he can expect something similar in 2030. He certainly wishes to stay in Tampa Bay for years to come.

“We’ve built roots here in Tampa. We love the community. We love being here,” Mayfield said. “They’ve embraced us, and we enjoy being here and obviously going to raise kids here.”

Mayfield began his career in Tampa Bay with a $4 million, one-year contract in 2023, being faced with the uphill task of replacing Tom Brady. Despite that weight on his shoulders, Mayfield went above and beyond, made it to the Pro Bowls in 2023 and 2024, and even led the Bucs to two consecutive NFC South championship titles.

Keeping his performance in the 2023 season in mind (9-8-0 record with 364 completions for 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns), the Buccaneers signed him to a $100 million extension in 2024. On that new deal, Mayfield produced even better numbers than before. He had a record of 10-7, completed 407 passes for 4,500 yards, and scored 41 touchdowns for the Bucs’ fifth-straight postseason.

His production dropped last season, as he completed 343 passes for 3,693 yards and 26 TDs due to injuries. But after months of public posturing and tense boardroom negotiations, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers finally paid their franchise quarterback what he felt he deserved.

Mayfield’s journey from a heavily doubted former No. 1 pick to one of the highest-paid players in NFL history is nothing short of remarkable. The Buccaneers kick off their 2026 season against the Bengals on Sunday, September 13.