Mayfield suffered the injury during the Buccaneers’ Week 3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. It happened late in the fourth quarter on a fourth-and-1 play, when he was hit by linebacker Blake Cashman while attempting a pass that was intercepted. Mayfield exited the game, and subsequent medical examinations confirmed the dislocation in his throwing hand.

The initial outlook offered some encouraging news, as an MRI revealed no fracture or damage to the thumb’s ligaments or tendons. Head coach Todd Bowles said Mayfield would miss at least three weeks, and the quarterback has avoided injured reserve so far with the Buccaneers. However, his recovery timeline remains uncertain because his ability to grip and throw the football comfortably will ultimately determine when he can return.

When is Baker Mayfield coming back from injury?

Baker Mayfield could miss at least three more weeks, with a potential absence of up to six weeks depending on how quickly he regains a reliable grip on the football.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the quarterback’s return will depend on his ability to hold and control the ball, a crucial requirement for making accurate throws with consistent velocity. Although the lack of ligament or tendon damage is positive, the dislocation still presents a significant challenge for a quarterback who relies on his throwing hand on every offensive snap.

The Buccaneers have ruled Mayfield out against the Cowboys after he also missed the Week 4 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Tampa Bay initially expected him to miss a minimum of three weeks, but the broader three-to-six-week window means his absence could extend beyond that estimate. If he cannot grip the football adequately, the team may have to wait closer to the longer end of the timeline rather than risk bringing him back before he is ready.

Who is Buccaneers starting quarterback vs Cowboys?

Undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels will be the Buccaneers’ starting quarterback against the Dallas Cowboys, taking over the offense while Baker Mayfield continues his rehabilitation.

Daniels made his first start against Green Bay, throwing for 148 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions while adding 55 rushing yards. His second consecutive start will provide another opportunity to gain experience, but replacing a quarterback who had started 57 straight games for Tampa Bay is a considerable challenge.

Mayfield’s recovery will remain one of the Buccaneers’ biggest storylines over the coming weeks. A return after roughly three weeks remains possible if he can grip the ball comfortably and demonstrate that he can throw effectively, while a recovery closer to six weeks would keep him out for a more extended stretch. The team will need to balance the urgency of getting its starting quarterback back with the importance of ensuring his throwing hand is ready for the demands of an NFL game.

Key takeaways

• Baker Mayfield was ruled out against Dallas after dislocating his right thumb in Week 3.
• Baker Mayfield faces a three-to-six-week recovery window depending on his ability to grip the ball.
• Undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels will make his second career start in Mayfield’s place.

Head coach Todd Bowles will have to rely on Jalon Daniels, the undrafted rookie who entered the NFL out of the Kansas Jayhawks. It will be quite a challenge for the Bucs, who will be looking to earn their first win of the season.

The poor level of play shown by Tampa Bay in its first three games has raised concerns within the coaching staff. Mayfield’s absence could deepen the crisis, especially with the Bucs facing a perennial contender like the Packers.

A tough blow for Mayfield

Baker Mayfield suffered a dislocated right thumb on his throwing hand during the fourth quarter of Tampa Bay‘s Week 3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The injury occurred on a fourth-and-1 play when he was hit while attempting a pass.

Subsequent medical evaluations and an MRI confirmed no major structural ligament damage, but Todd Bowles announced that Mayfield is expected to miss a minimum of three weeks while recovering. Based on that recovery timeline, the earliest realistic target for his return to the field would be Week 7 against the Carolina Panthers.

More injuries for the Bucs

Alongside Mayfield, the Buccaneers are heading into their matchup against Green Bay severely shorthanded on both sides of the ball. On defense, losing Rueben Bain Jr. (groin/shoulder) strips Todd Bowles’ front seven of a key edge disruptor, while Benjamin Morrison (quad) sitting out thins out secondary depth and leaves Tampa Bay vulnerable against Green Bay’s intermediate passing attack.

Offensively, Ko Kieft (elbow) being ruled out might not steal headlines, but his absence stings in the trenches—he’s the team’s primary blocking tight end and H-back, meaning the offense takes a hit in short-yardage packages and heavy run sets just as Jalon Daniels makes his first NFL start.

Key takeaways

• Baker Mayfield will miss the Week 4 game against Green Bay due to a thumb injury.
• Jalon Daniels is set to start at quarterback for the Buccaneers after Mayfield’s injury.
• Minimum of three weeks is the expected recovery timeline for Mayfield’s dislocated right thumb.

Tampa Bay‘s primary backup is Jalon Daniels, who arrived this season as an undrafted free agent. On the practice squad, the quarterback listed is Easton Stick.

This is undoubtedly the worst-case scenario for the Bucs, who are desperate to turn things around as soon as possible. Unfortunately, this tough start leaves them at the bottom of the NFC South and, without their top star, the road ahead looks even more challenging.

What happened to Mayfield?

Baker Mayfield suffered a dislocated right thumb on his throwing hand late in the fourth quarter of the Buccaneers’ Week 3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The injury happened late in the game when he went down in clear pain, holding his right hand before heading off to the locker room with the medical staff.

While initial X-rays didn’t reveal any fractures, he was scheduled for an MRI to assess potential ligament damage and determine how long he’ll be sidelined. Unfortunately for Todd Bowles, he won’t be able to count on him until at least Week 7.

Daniel’s time

In his final season with the Kansas Jayhawks, Jalon Daniels posted strong numbers, throwing for 2,531 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions on 198-of-319 passing (62.1% completion rate), while adding 4 rushing touchdowns on the ground.

Pressed into action for his NFL regular-season debut, the Bucs rookie QB struggled to find his rhythm. He went 0-for-3 with a game-ending interception on a Hail Mary attempt, while adding 9 yards on one scramble as Tampa Bay fell 23–16 to the Vikings.

Key takeaways

• Baker Mayfield will miss three weeks due to a dislocated right thumb.
• Undrafted free agent Jalon Daniels serves as Tampa Bay’s primary backup quarterback.
• The Buccaneers fell to a 0-3 record after losing 23–16 to the Vikings.

“Baker Mayfield dislocated his right thumb, per coach Todd Bowles,” as reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. “MRI tomorrow. But likely to miss time.”

With Mayfield unable to finish the game against Minnesota for Tampa Bay, it was undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels who filled in under center for the Buccaneers. Because the Bucs have a two-man active quarterback room, that’s as far as their depth chart currently goes at the most important position in football.

• Baker Mayfield
• Jalon Daniels

A very avoidable injury

Of course, there’s no way of knowing when an injury will occur in the NFL. Still, Tampa Bay ran too many unnecessary risks on a single play, and it all came back to bite the Bucs in the worst way. Down four points with almost two minutes left in the fourth quarter and all three timeouts, the Bucs had no need to go for it on fourth down on the play that ended with Mayfield injured on the field.

Once the ball was snapped, Mayfield did his best, typical Maverick-style play-extending, keep-the-play-alive efforts, but it was all in vain. As much as he tried to make something out of nothing, it all backfired tremendously.

Mayfield was hit as he threw by Blake Cashman, with the quarterback’s right thumb clashing against the six-foot-one, 235-pound linebacker. As soon as the thumb hit Cashman, Mayfield knew something was wrong. He felt it, and his thumb was no longer pointing in the right direction.

Tampa Bay needs QB help

Now, Mayfield could miss time when his team needs him the most. If he is indeed sidelined, the Buccaneers will be knee-deep in trouble. As things stand, they don’t have another quarterback option other than UDFA rookie Daniels out of Kansas and practice-squad quarterback Easton Stick. If Mayfield is in for a long recovery timeline, expect the Buccaneers to go after a signal-caller available in free agency.

Key takeaways

• Baker Mayfield dislocated his right thumb and will undergo an MRI on Monday.
• Undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels came on in relief as the active backup quarterback.
• Tampa Bay fell to 0-3 to start the 2026 season following Mayfield’s injury.

McMillan is one of Baker Mayfield’s primary targets in the passing game, although the quarterback has other options at his disposal. Both Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin Jr. are key alternatives in the Bucs’ passing attack.

Todd Bowles’ team began its season with a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals and will need to bounce back as quickly as possible to avoid falling to 0-2 this early in the season. With McMillan being able to show that he is healthy, this is a huge boost for Tampa Bay’s offense.

McMillan’s knee is the issue

Jalen McMillan has been sidelined with a knee strain sustained early in training camp that kept him completely out of Tampa Bay’s season opener. While he was a full participant in practice all week and got tagged as questionable heading into Week 2 against Cleveland, the Bucs’ medical staff is taking a super cautious approach with his return.

Mayfield has his targets covered

With McMillan out in the season opener, Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin Jr. stepped up seamlessly to show why they remain Baker Mayfield’s most trusted high-end weapons in the passing game. Godwin was a reliable safety valve all afternoon, hauling in 8 receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets, while Egbuka proved why he’s a premier playmaker by racking up 92 receiving yards and a score of his own on 6 catches.

They controlled the tempo against Cincinnati’s secondary from start to finish, proving that as long as they are on the field, Mayfield’s primary reads and top-tier explosive options are in complete, steady hands.

What’s ahead for the Bucs?

Looking past their Week 2 matchup against Cleveland Browns, the Bucs are gearing up for a tough three-game stretch that keeps them tested on both fronts. They stay at home for back-to-back games against NFC North contenders—hosting the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3 and the Green Bay Packers in Week 4—before hitting the road in Week 5 for a prime-time style clash against Dallas Cowboys. It’s a heavy-duty run that should really push Tampa Bay’s limits early in the season.

“Taking it one day at a time, making sure that you harp on little details,” Mayfield said during his press conference. “That goes back to, obviously, not coming out on the right side of the game last week, of really focusing on the small details. And so, when you do that, good things will happen on Sundays.

“So, for me, focusing on that and then when the lights come on, you get out there and play, it’s time to go — let it loose.” Fumbles were his main Achilles’ heel, as he was overwhelmed by the pressure from the Bengals’ defensive line.

Struggling in that way may actually be the best thing at this stage of the season, with plenty of time still left to turn things around. For now, the quarterback is aware of this and knows he will have to improve quickly in order to secure the Buccaneers’ first win.

Baker must avoid the fumbles

Baker Mayfield and the Bucs opened their 2026 season on a rough note, dropping a tight 33-27 battle to the Bengals. Baker was efficiency-wise pretty sharp, completing 23 of 28 passes for 216 yards and scrambling for a rushing touchdown, but the ball security issues completely derailed the offense.

Putting the ball on the turf 3 times with those costly fumbles wiped out any real flow Tampa Bay Buccaneers were trying to build, leaving them playing catch-up all afternoon despite his solid passing efficiency.

Mayfield and the Browns meet again

Todd Bowles’ team will face its next challenge at home against an opponent that gives Bucs an opportunity to earn their first win of the season: the Cleveland Browns. Baker Mayfield used to play in the Dawg Pound and has nothing but fond memories of his time with the franchise.

“Yeah, I mean, with any experience, there’s ups and downs, good and bad. Ultimately, you remember the good more so than the bad,” he said. “Yeah, first time having a playoff win since ’94 there. And going on the road and doing it in Pittsburgh. So, a lot of good memories there. A lot of teammates that are friends for life. But like I said earlier, it’s a very different building now.”

Adding a humorous note to the situation, NFL insider Ian Rapoport shared a funny quote from Mayfield regarding the negotiations via X, formerly Twitter. “Apparently, they engaged in talks last week that I did not know about,” Mayfield stated during his press conference.

Now that Mayfield has secured his continuity with the Buccaneers through the 2029 season, the focus officially shifts back to returning to the playoffs. The Buccaneers missed the postseason last year for the first time since 2019 due to a late-season slump that allowed the Carolina Panthers to claim the division title. With Mayfield under a new contract and fully recovered, Tampa Bay is expected to return to the top of the NFC South.

What Mayfield has delivered

Since replacing Tom Brady in 2023 on a one-year prove-it deal, Mayfield has thrown for 12,237 yards and 95 touchdowns, won two division titles, and earned two consecutive Pro Bowl selections.

Mayfield, who was selected first overall in the 2018 NFL Draft by Cleveland, earned Pro Bowl honors in each of his first two seasons in Tampa while guiding the Buccaneers to consecutive NFC South titles.

He experienced an up-and-down 2025 campaign marked by multiple injuries, but returns in 2026 motivated him to help Tampa Bay qualify for the playoffs. He was an MVP candidate during the first half of last season when the team started 6-2, but he struggled with injuries and saw his performance dip.

Expecting a strong start

The 2026 NFL season will begin with a trip to Cincinnati to face the Bengals. The Buccaneers have another AFC North road trip to Maryland to take on the Baltimore Ravens. They will face Cincinnati’s division rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns, at Raymond James Stadium, hoping to start in the best possible way.

“I’m very optimistic about it,” the General Manager said, via Jenna Laine of ESPN.com. “He wants to play. He wants to prove to us that he is the franchise quarterback that we said that he was. So, we’ll just have to see how it plays out. I’ll never close the door on anything in the short term, but right now, he’s focused on football.”

With a new season in Tampa Bay just around the corner, the future of the former Cleveland Browns quarterback beyond the 2026 campaign remains uncertain. Will Licht be able to reach an agreement and keep Mayfield in Tampa Bay for many more years to come?

Where do the Bucs stand with Mayfield right now?

The contract extension talks between Mayfield and the Bucs hit a wall right before training camp. While Tampa Bay was willing to pay top-tier money—around $50M per year—the impasse comes down to length: the front office only offered a short two-year deal, whereas Mayfield is hunting for a long-term commitment as their franchise guy.

After setting a firm deadline for the start of camp, Baker openly admitted feeling “disrespected” by their proposals, shut down any further in-season negotiations to focus purely on football, and is now set to play out the 2026 season before hitting free agency in 2027.

The Bucs need Baker Mayfield

After a disappointing 8-9 campaign in 2025 that saw Tampa Bay miss out on the postseason, Mayfield’s production took a natural hit—finishing with 3,693 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions while battling injuries across his receiving corps and offensive line. Still, the Bucs desperately need him dialed in if they want to crash the playoff party again.

In an NFC South that remains wide open, Baker brings the swagger, toughness, and proven track record of elevating this offense; without a long-term deal locked in, Tampa’s entire season hinges on whether their fiery QB can turn that disrespected chip on his shoulder into another career bounce-back year.

This will be a particularly interesting appearance for Mayfield because it marks his first preseason action since the Buccaneers’ contract-extension situation became a major storyline. Tampa and their quarterback were unable to reach an agreement on a new long-term deal, and Baker has made it clear that he will not continue negotiating during the 2026 season.

That means Baker Mayfield is playing the 2026 season in the final year of his current contract, setting up the possibility of free agency in 2027. For now, though, the focus is on football, and Saturday’s matchup against the Chiefs will give Mayfield his first opportunity to get live-game reps in Tampa Bay’s new-look offense.

Will Baker Mayfield play against the Chiefs?

Yes. Baker Mayfield is expected to start the game and play approximately one or two series for the Bucs against the Chiefs. Todd Bowles indicated that the Buccaneers’ starters should receive somewhere between eight and 15 plays, depending on how the game unfolds.

That limited workload is designed to give the starters some valuable game-speed work without exposing them to unnecessary preseason risk. Once Mayfield leaves the field, the Buccaneers will turn their attention to the competition behind him. Jake Browning is expected to receive an opportunity, with Connor Bazelak and Jalon Daniels also part of the battle for the backup quarterback job.

Who will replace Baker Mayfield at quarterback?

Jake Browning has emerged as one of the leading candidates for the No. 2 job and will have another opportunity to strengthen his case against Kansas City. The veteran quarterback has experience in the NFL and is competing with both Bazelak and Daniels for the backup role.

Bazelak is also expected to see action as the Bucs continue evaluating their quarterback depth. He has remained in the mix, but the competition became even more interesting after Jalon Daniels impressed during the preseason opener against the Jets.

Daniels, who signed with Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent this offseason, has drawn attention from the coaching staff for his poise and ability to make plays with his legs.

Baker Mayfield’s contract situation adds another layer

Mayfield’s appearance against the Chiefs comes with an intriguing backdrop. The Buccaneers have not been able to give their quarterback the contract extension he was looking for, while Mayfield has decided to put negotiations aside and focus on the 2026 season.

The quarterback enters the final year of his deal, and unless the situation changes, he could reach free agency after the season. That gives every game additional importance as Mayfield looks to demonstrate his value on the field while the Bucs determine how far they’re willing to go to keep him beyond 2026.

For now, Mayfield’s immediate goal is much simpler: get his work in, stay healthy and help the Buccaneers prepare for the regular season. His first appearance against the Chiefs should provide a brief but important glimpse of where he stands heading into a season that could have major consequences for his future in Tampa Bay.

“I think we’re going to shock a lot of people this year,” the quarterback said, via JoeBucsFan.com. “And so I’m excited.” According to Mayfield himself, it’s very difficult to tune out the outside noise, although it can often be used as motivation to accomplish great things.

“You can’t avoid it,” the QB said. “The TVs [are] everywhere. Everybody’s picking us probably to have a losing record.” The Bucs will look to return to prominence after missing the playoffs last year for the first time since 2019, following a dramatic finale against the Carolina Panthers.

The motivation of starting on the road

Paycor Stadium will be the setting for the first major test for a Bucs team looking to start the season on the right foot. There, Baker Mayfield and his teammates will face the Cincinnati Bengals, and while it could be a challenging matchup, playing on the road provides extra motivation for the QB.

”You’re with your guys, and it’s just the Bucs against everybody else in that city you’re going to, and so I think it’s a good opportunity for us against the Bengals,” Mayfield also added.

A tough schedule ahead for the Bucs

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will face a challenging season ahead, with trips to stadiums where the home crowd tends to make its presence felt. Among the toughest road games are visits to the Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, and Chicago Bears.

Not only that, but Raymond James Stadium will also host opponents who can easily be considered contenders. Among them are the Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, and Los Angeles Chargers.

Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said on Tuesday that Baker Mayfield won’t be playing vs Jets on Friday, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. As for Geno Smith, his playing status vs Buccaneers has also been revealed.

Backup QBs Connor Bazelak and Jalon Daniels will take the majority of the snaps. Jake Browning is dealing with an injury, so he’ll be sidelined for the team’s preseason opener.

Baker Mayfield’s preseason stats

Mayfield’s career has gone from first overall pick to backup to star. Hence, his NFL preseason outings have varied a lot depending on how his team view him. He sat entirely during 2019, 2025, and 2026’s preseasons (2020 didn’t have a preseason due to COVID-19).

Buccaneers’ preseason schedule

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers features three AFC opponents, with two of them being away games. The Jets are the first of the opponents and given that this game is in MetLife Stadium, their main mission is to avoid any injuries.