Can Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield pick up incentive in last game of the season?

The 2025 season has not gone according to plan for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They have now lost four in a row and eight of their last ten. However, they still have an outside shot at making the playoffs despite them not being able to really control their own destiny in doing so.

It has been a lackluster performance in all three phases of the game for the Buccaneers this season. The defense has regressed further, special teams have been awful at times, and a once potent offense has become a shell of itself.

Quarterback Baker Mayfield has also not lived up to expectations this year, having the worst season of his short tenure in Tampa Bay. While he has struggled, he has also dealt with injuries to key players on the offensive side of the ball as well as injuries of his own. With his stats down significantly from a season ago, Mayfield can still hit one stat-based contract incentive — finishing top-10 in touchdown passes.

So Mayfield has up to $2.5 million in stat-based incentives -- $500k each for finishing top 10 in NFL or top five in NFC in passer rating, TD passes, passing yards, completion percentage or yards/attempt.

He hit nearly all of them last year, but is only really in range for one:… https://t.co/MdJPRW8svC
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) December 30, 2025

Can Baker actually Bake for $500,000?

Dec 28, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

As pointed out by FOX Sports' Greg Auman, Mayfield is currently tied for 7th in the NFL with the likes of Josh Allen, Sam Darnold, Jalen Hurts, Caleb Williams and Bo Nix with 25 touchdowns to their names. While Auman also points out that two touchdowns would likely net Mayfield an extra stipend, there is also the chance that the others he is tied with, along with those ahead of him, could knock him out.

Mayfield's touchdown numbers have been down this season, but he has thrown at least two touchdowns in half of the Bucs' games this season. So, the opportunity will be there for him to be able to put the ball in the endzone enough for him to secure a bag before the end of the season.

Of course, for Mayfield and the rest of the Bucs, the main focus will be on winning the final game of the season and hoping that the cards fall their way and they can sneak into the playoffs with a losing record.

Either way, this iteration of the Buccaneers won't be one that fans will remember because of how porous and disconnected the team has been. An incentive for Mayfield will be nice, but there are bigger things to worry about in the Tampa Bay area.

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