TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have agreed on a $165 million, three-year contract extension, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the team hasn’t announced the contract extension.
Mayfield revived his career in Tampa Bay after replacing Tom Brady in 2023. He was entering the final season of his three-year, $100 million deal with the Bucs.
Mayfield, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft by Cleveland, made the Pro Bowl in each of his first two seasons in Tampa while leading the Bucs to consecutive NFC South titles. He was an MVP candidate through the first half of last season when the team started 6-2, but struggled with injuries and tailed off.
Mayfield had set a deadline for getting a new contract by the start of training camp, and felt “disrespected” when he didn’t get it.
Now, it’s done.
"I’ve been pretty up front and honest about my feelings about Tampa, it being home for our family, raising kids here,” Mayfield said in July. “We love it here. I wanted a deal done and set the deadline and told them it was going to be all ball after that, and I did mean that. I don’t know if they thought I was gonna take some of the offers that they gave.
“I’m at the point in my career, understanding what I’ve brought to this franchise. One, I’m very thankful for the chance they gave me — do not get me wrong on that. But I also know, I really know what I’ve brought to this franchise, leadership-wise and even play-wise. It’s been some of the best years of my career, and I think it’s only going to trend upwards.”
The Buccaneers, who open the season on the road against Cincinnati, will try to bounce back from an 8-9 record that caused them to miss the playoffs. The Bucs are the consensus betting favorites to win the NFC South.
Mayfield, who injured his left shoulder in a late November game against the Los Angeles Rams, started all 17 games last year for the third season in a row and passed for 3,693 yards and 26 touchdowns, with 11 interceptions. It was his first season in Tampa Bay with less than 4,000 yards and his lowest TD total.
Now Mayfield will be without Mike Evans, the all-time franchise leader in receiving with 866 catches for 13,052 yards. Evans signed with San Francisco in the offseason.
But the Bucs could have one of the league's top offensive lines if the front can stay healthy.
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