Baker Mayfield Owns Play That Cost Buccaneers Wild Card Loss to Commanders

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles wouldn’t lay the blame solely on quarterback Baker Mayfield.

Baker Mayfield (6) of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers scrambles against the Washington Commanders during the second quarter in the NFC Wild Card Playoff at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., on Jan. 12, 2025. Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield made the mistake that enabled the Washington Commanders to win a playoff game for the first time in 19 years, and he owns it.

“Just some dumb stuff today that cost the team,” Mayfield told reporters on Sunday. “That’s going to wear on me for a while.”

Mayfield fumbled the ball in the fourth quarter with a 17–13 lead, and the Commanders (12–5) capitalized with a touchdown drive to take a 20–17 lead.

It also set up Washington to walk off with a 23–20 win on a 37-yard field goal by kicker Zane Gonzalez. It ended a 10–7 season and fourth-straight NFC South title campaign for the Buccaneers at home.

“That comes back to me, just timing it up correctly,” Mayfield said. “First one all year that it happened on. So obviously, the timing of it is not great, being backed up. Defense had done a hell of a job getting us the ball, another fourth-down stop and yeah, unfortunate, but that falls on me.”

Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan also took ownership of the play, an intended jet sweep. Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner recovered the fumble, and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels turned then led a quick drive from the Buccaneers’ 13-yard line, capped by a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Terry McLaurin.

“[It was] me and Baker not being on the same page,” McMillan told reporters afterward. “Things like that happen. I mean, shoot, mistakes happen.”

“It’s heartbreaking,” McMillan added. “Just to lose like that—I don’t like losing like that.”

Tampa Bay made the Divisional Round the year before with Mayfield under center, and the Buccaneers rewarded him with a three-year $100 million contract. Mayfield delivered this season with a 71.4 percent completion rate for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns versus 16 interceptions but he couldn’t get his team past a young Washington team.

“It’s disappointing overall because I believe in this team,” Mayfield said. “I believe we have the talent, the coaching staff and everybody around us to be able to go far, but looking back, trying to take a step back, big picture—this group fought, there was a lot of people that stepped up throughout the year, a ton of guys that stepped up into huge roles, and so there’s a lot to be proud of.”

Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles wouldn’t lay the blame solely on Mayfield. The former No. 1 pick helped the Buccaneers slog through injuries on offense and defense to make the playoffs a fifth-straight year.

“They’re human,” Bowles told reporters afterward. “We’re going to make mistakes and he got us here—we wouldn’t even be here without Baker.”