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Sooners in the NFL: Baker Mayfield Leads Tampa Bay to Division Title, Playoff Berth

In his first season with the Buccaneers, Mayfield put up career-best statistics and is having "the most fun I’ve had playing football in a long time" as the Bucs are back in the playoffs.
Ross Lovelace|
Sooners in the NFL: Baker Mayfield Leads Tampa Bay to Division Title, Playoff Berth
Sooners in the NFL: Baker Mayfield Leads Tampa Bay to Division Title, Playoff Berth

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It wasn’t pretty, but a win is a win. And in reality, that’s all Baker Mayfield cares about. 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers knocked off the Panthers on the road in an ugly 9-0 final, sending Mayfield's Bucs to the NFC playoffs and giving Tampa Bay fans another home game.

It was an unreal turnaround for Mayfield, who has revived his career in Tampa Bay after playing for three teams last season. 

“There’s been a lot in the past couple years that I’ve gone through,” Mayfield said on the field after the game. “Just trusting God’s plan and see where it takes me. 

"This is the most fun I’ve had playing football in a long time, and I can’t say enough about this organization that I’m with right now. And I’m thankful that we’ve got another week to see what happens and I’m so happy about that.”

Bucs coach Todd Bowles gave him a chance this offseason, and Mayfield never looked back. Both Bowles and Mayfield had serious future implications riding on the last game of the season, and Bowles might have needed a win to stick around as the team’s head coach. Thanks to a huge defensive effort, the duo got the job done and sent the Bucs to the playoffs with a 9-8 record and the No. 4 spot in the bracket.

In Tampa Bay’s 9-0 win at Carolina, Mayfield played through an ankle injury and a rib injury, completing 20-of-32 passes for 137 yards with no touchdowns and no  turnovers. It was a quiet day for the Buccaneers offense, but it was just enough to get the job done.

Mayfield’s comeback season now has the cherry on top with a home playoff game and a massive incentive bonus. In his contract, Mayfield will be rewarded with a $1 million add-on for leading the Buccaneers to the playoffs, and he earned his money playing through injuries for the victory on Sunday.

On top of earning the big bonus, he also might have locked up a long-term contract with Tampa Bay for the next few seasons. He had a fantastic year statistically and it showed with the Buccaneers on-field success.

The former Oklahoma Heisman winner finished the season with 4,044 yards (his first career 4,000-yard season), with 28 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Individually, it was the best season of his career, and he's back in the playoffs for the first time since 2020. 

Mayfield reminisced about his departure from the Panthers to the Rams last year.

"This room I'm standing in right now is where I found out I wasn't going to be with the team any more," Mayfield told reporters after the game. "There's a lot of things that bring me back here. That's what happens when you go to a team within the division and you have memories of playing there or playing with them. 

"But, just keep it about us. Can't say enough about this team and the things we've been through this year. Handled it correctly and (found) a way to win five of six in the end and (found) a way to win the division."

It has been a magical comeback season for Mayfield and the Bucs, and they'll have a chance to shock the world once again next weekend. Tampa Bay will likely be heavy underdogs against the Eagles or the Cowboys, but everyone now knows to never count out Baker Mayfield.

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Ross Lovelace
ROSS LOVELACE

Ross has covered the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Oklahoma Sooners since 2018. He's made guest appearances on various radio stations and the Sooners On SI podcast. Ross enjoys public speaking and has done so at multiple churches and high schools across the OKC metro area. In addition to writing, Ross has been the Play-by-Play announcer for Crossings’ basketball and football programs since 2020. In high school, Ross started with Thunder Digest, where he discovered his passion for writing. From there, he worked for the OU Daily as a women's basketball reporter and worked for Sooners On SI and Thunder On SI. Ross holds a bachelor's degree in Public Relations and a minor in Communication from the University of Oklahoma. Born and raised in Oklahoma City, Ross played basketball and wrote for his own Thunder blog at Crossings High School in OKC. He enjoys reading, New York Jets football and a week at the beach. Ross and his wife live in New Orleans, where he is a Marketing and Volunteer Coordinator at the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation and the New Orleans Super Bowl Host Committee. His Twitter handle is @Rosslovelace.

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