With Baker Mayfield leading, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the class of the NFC South.
The 2025 NFL season is only two weeks old, but still, Tampa Bay fans have to be feeling pretty good. In first place and undefeated in their division, the Buccaneers are welcoming the New York Jets to Raymond James Stadium for Sunday’s home game. With the Jets yet to win a game, chances are in favor of a third consecutive Buccaneers’ victory.
The first two wins on the road haven’t been pretty or easy for the Buccaneers’ head coach Todd Bowles’s squad. Not by a long shot. In fact, Tampa Bay has needed a couple of long shots to go their way—and they did—to squeak out the victories.
In Week 1, against divisional rival Atlanta Falcons on the road, by a narrow 23–20 final score, Tampa returned home as a winner. No fumbles, no interceptions, and Mayfield connecting with his receivers for 17 completions was the difference. Holding the Falcons’ defense to one sack also helped the Buccaneers’ cause.
Week 2, this past Monday night at Houston’s NRG Stadium, Tampa Bay escaped with a 20–19 win over the Texans. The best of Mayfield was apparent very late in the game. With Houston taking the lead 19–14 with 2:10 left in the game, the Buccaneers weren’t finished. With less than two minutes remaining in regulation, Mayfield engineered an 11-play, 80-yard touchdown drive. With just six seconds to go in the game, Mayfield positioned his team to allow Rachaad White to run a two-yard touchdown for the win.
Now, getting to play before the hometown crowd Sunday against a winless Jets, fingers are crossed by Bowles and his offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard that victory will come, and by a larger margin than what was registered in the first two weeks of the season.
Keeping Mayfield healthy, well supported by the Buccaneers’ offensive line, and not being pressured to scramble around the field looking for an open receiver should do the trick for Tampa Bay.
As Mayfield goes, so do the Buccaneers. Now in his third season steering the Buccaneers’ offense, when Mayfield arrived in 2023, there were some “big shoes” to fill. Tom Brady, who had spent his final three NFL seasons (2020–2022) with Tampa Bay, retired in January 2023 after a Wild Card loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Buccaneers’ management didn’t hesitate to anoint Mayfield his successor.
After two seasons of the Mayfield-Buccaneers’ football marriage, there was a mutual feeling of appreciation. In 2024, Tampa Bay extended its association with Mayfield for three years with $100 million. He was expected to become a free agent after the 2026 season.
Tampa Bay is aiming to win their fifth consecutive NFC South divisional title in 2025. As long as Mayfield is part of the starting lineup, the Buccaneers shouldn’t have much difficulty completing their goal.
In Monday’s game with the Texans, Buccaneers’ right tackle Luke Goedeke left the game with a foot injury. He is expected to miss several upcoming games. Guard Cody Mauch is out for the season with a knee injury. Tristan Wirfs, Buccaneers’ left tackle, had knee surgery this past July. He returned to practice recently, but there is no immediate return timetable for Wirfs. In the meantime, Mayfield will likely include more scrambling to find open receivers or running for the first down himself.
Throughout his career, Mayfield has been, at times, reckless when it comes to protecting his body. He has never shied away from making a play, regardless of personal consequences. However, preserving the quarterback at all costs is paramount for a successful Buccaneers season. If Tampa Bay is to be in line to collect a franchise third Super Bowl championship, it doesn’t happen without Mayfield leading.
Buccaneers’ management, fans, and Mayfield have to be pleased at how his career has matured in the past three seasons.
Four seasons with the Cleveland Browns could be summed up as a learning experiment. When the Browns traded for Texans’ starting quarterback Deshaun Watson, Mayfield saw the writing on the wall, and he requested a trade. An uneventful stint with the Carolina Panthers at the start of 2022 led to Mayfield requesting to be released that December. One day after his release, the Los Angeles Rams came calling for Mayfield. A five-game association, Mayfield credits his time with the Rams when his career was rejuvenated. He found football to be fun again. That excitement about going to work in the NFL carries on today with Tampa Bay.
The difference between the Buccaneers’ 2025 season going deep into the postseason or accepting the motto “wait until next year” rests in the hands of Baker Mayfield.
