NFL Legend Weighs in On Recent Link Between Baker Mayfield and Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is locked in for 2026 on the last year of the three-year deal he signed in 2024, but that hasn't stopped most people — including Mayfield and the Buccaneers — from thinking ahead.

Mayfield and the Bucs are both interested in an extension that would keep Mayfield in Tampa Bay long term, but questions have been raised after Mayfield said that he and the Bucs are far apart on a deal and that he won't negotiate a new contract once training camp begins. While Mayfield would then be free to meet with the Bucs after the season if those demands aren't met, some have already been thinking about where he could go next, and one team in particular has been the center of the chatter.

NBC's Mike Florio recently declared that Mayfield would be 'perfect' for the Pittsburgh Steelers, despite the fact that Mayfield is still under contract in Tampa Bay and wouldn't be a free agent until next year. That story has made the rounds, and it recently found its way to one of Pittsburgh's franchise legends in James Harrison.

Steelers Legend James Harrison Comments on Baker Mayfield Talk

Pittsburgh Steelers retired linebacker James Harrison is introduced before a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars | Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images

Harrison, a two-time All-Pro and an NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2008, addressed the Mayfield smoke during a recent appearance on Harrison's podcast with former Steelers teammate Joe Haden. He stressed that it's too early to talk about Pittsburgh's next quarterback and that Mayfield may be too expensive for what the Steelers are looking for at this time.

"If he even comes wanting $35 [million], $40 million, are we even thinking about that versus what may be out there?" Harrison said. "With this Baker Mayfield thing, I just don't see that happening... Baker's good. I've [got] nothing against him, but it's just depending on what he's looking for and what he wants."

Mayfield's current value is likely above the $50 million range, and that could increase if he doesn't re-sign this offseason and then plays excellent football in 2026. The only way that Mayfield would be paid similarly to his current APY of $33.3 million is if he has a down year, and even then, the Bucs could retain him in just about every scenario — if Mayfield plays well, Tampa Bay wouldn't mind paying a premium, and if he plays poorly, it could simply get him for cheap. Either way, it's extremely likely that Mayfield will remain a Buccaneer for the foreseeable future.

All of the speculation surrounding Mayfield is premature, as he still has a full season to play in Tampa Bay. But if Mayfield is to be believed, extension talks are not premature, as he's given the team a deadline of training camp to come to a deal and get his extension done before the season starts.

Whether or not Mayfield will truly honor that deadline remains to be seen. But if he doesn't sign a new deal in Tampa Bay before the end of the 2026 season, there could be a few teams, like Pittsburgh, that are waiting to see what happens.

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