Baker Mayfield won't sign an extension with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before the 2026 season.
The quarterback told reporters on Thursday, via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, that he and the Buccaneers weren't close to reaching a new deal by his self-appointed deadline. Mayfield will table contract talks to prepare for his final season under contract.
Mayfield didn't think the Buccaneers made any offers commensurate to his worth after reviving his career over the last three seasons.
"I'm very, very thankful for the chance (the Buccaneers) gave me – do not get me wrong on that," Mayfield said. "But I also know what I brought to this franchise, leadership-wise and play-wise. It's been some of the best years of my career, and I think it's only going to trend upward. So it's disappointing in that regard to feel disrespected a little bit. That's really the disappointing part – to feel undervalued after thinking you've earned it."
"I'm a franchise quarterback"
Mayfield led the Buccaneers to two straight NFC South titles and set personal highs with 4,500 passing yards and 41 touchdowns in 2024. But the former No. 1 pick regressed to 3,693 yards and 26 touchdowns during an injury-plagued 2025 campaign.
The 31-year-old still feels he warrants a deal worthy of a high-caliber quarterback.
"I think I'm a franchise quarterback. I've been told I'm a franchise quarterback," Mayfield said. "It's been said publicly, from ownership down. So to not have a deal done is very disappointing. But I said the deadline is the deadline, and I addressed the team to let them know I meant that."
Mayfield predicted that he'll have a "really big year" that could make the Buccaneers regret not locking him up sooner.
"It's disappointing," Mayfield said. "I'm not the first one to go through it like this. This is kind of historically how they've done negotiations. It's disappointing when you think you're a cornerstone of the franchise to be treated like that."
Mayfield later told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler that the Buccaneers didn't offer him a contract longer than two years. Their offer was "pretty far" from what he considered fair, but he never considered holding out of training camp.
"I want to win ball games," Mayfield said. "I want to play with these guys. It's a special group, and that's why it feels like home."
