Lavonte David recently decided to retire from the NFL and, following that, made a significant revelation about Baker Mayfield. In 2025, the quarterback played the entire season dealing with multiple injuries and, despite them, chose to give his all for his teammates on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“The season’s over now, I can talk about it,” David revealed, via JoeBucsFan.com. “Man, Baker was going through a lot, bro. Baker had a lot of injuries that you didn’t expect a quarterback to play through.
“You know what I’m saying? He had the oblique injury, he had the shoulder injury, he had a lot of things. You know, ankle injury, knee injury. . . . He was really trying to push through and really trying to be the player that we needed him to be.”
Mayfield’s performance despite his injuries
Baker Mayfield followed his breakout 2024 campaign with another solid performance in 2025, leading the Buccaneers to an 8-9 record while remaining one of the league’s most productive passers. He finished the season with 3,693 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, ranking in the top 10 across the NFL in both yards and scoring strikes.
Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2026.
His efficiency was highlighted by a career-high 382 rushing yards and a notable Week 5 performance against the Seahawks, where he completed 87.9% of his passes. Off the field, his leadership was recognized league-wide as he served as the Buccaneers’ nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award.
Is Mayfield now 100% healthy?
David’s recent statements have raised concerns among both fans and outsiders. However, so far there have been no reports of any injuries that Mayfield might be dealing with, so he is expected to begin his initial practices with teammates as usual.
Buccaneers QB room
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ quarterback room is headlined by starter Baker Mayfield, who remains the undisputed leader of the offense. Behind him, the depth chart features veteran backup Jake Browning, the former Bengals signal-caller known for his poise, and Connor Bazelak, who rounds out the group as they gear up for the 2026 campaign.
