After just one season with the team, quarterback Baker Mayfield of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is eligible for free agency this offseason, but it appears like he intends to stay in Tampa Bay.
On Wednesday, microphones captured Mayfield discussing his free agency with Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young during a break on the Up & Adams Show.
Although it was difficult to hear the entire exchange, it seemed like Mayfield once expressed a desire to return to the Buccaneers and “get some pieces back.”
!HOT MIC!
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield chats w/ Steve Young on Up & Adams set today about staying in Tampa Bay
BM says “getting some (Bucs) pieces back”, & responds “yea” to being in the right spot & settling in career wise
Sure seems like Bucs will Bake again@953WDAE @JayAndZWDAE pic.twitter.com/qhq3HKe5rY
— 𝗭𝗮𝗰 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗻𝗲𝗿🎙 (@ZacOnTheMic) February 7, 2024
Later in the day, Mayfield spoke on First Things First, reiterating his intention to stay in Tampa in front of the cameras. Mayfield said,
“I would love to be back,” “Obviously the pieces have to fall in the right place for me to be back. … I love playing there. It got me back to a good headspace and playing football and enjoying it again. We’ll see what happens.”
"I'd love to be back in Tampa. I love playing there. It got me back to a good headspace & playing football & enjoying it again."
— @bakermayfield on if he expects to be back in Tampa next season, his relationship with new Bucs OC Liam Coen & how influential his time in LA was: pic.twitter.com/mE0b8DeRxX
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) February 7, 2024
The Buccaneers had a 9–8 record at the end of the 2023 campaign. Following the team’s 32-0 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild-card round, Mayfield guided the team to the NFL divisional round. In the divisional round, Tampa Bay was defeated 31–23 by the Detroit Lions.