If one play sums up the play of Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield, it has to be the Week 10 4th-and-7 against the San Francisco 49ers, down 20-17.
Mayfield narrowly avoided a sack from Leonard Floyd but stepped right up into the path of Nick Bosa. The Bucs QB laid out a stiffarm on Bosa that he rode all the way to the sideline before hitting running back Rachaad White for a first-down conversion.
On the call for FOX that day, Tom Brady called it, "One of the best plays I've ever seen a quarterback make." The Bucs tied the game on that drive and eventually lost 23-20. But it wasn't from any lack of effort by Mayfield.
Buccaneers quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis was appreciative of Baker's ability, but noted he didn't like the number of hits he took during games.
"That right there was a 'gotta have it,'" said Lewis. "That was a 'gotta have it' moment. So I would want that guy show up in the 'gotta have it' moments. Early in the game, if it's not there I would prefer him to throw it away or get down, or check it down, add to the punt. Let's play a little team ball; we have a good defense. Let's flip the field. We don't have to get it all in one shot. In certain instances, he thought he had to put us on his back, and make some plays like that.
"Which he did…it's a fine line. That's the thing that you fine-tune – when and when not? If we can get that under control and limit the turnovers, I think we can be unstoppable as a team for sure."
Mayfield is on a run of starting every single game for the Bucs since taking over for the retired Brady in 2023, and the Tampa Bay executives would like to keep it that way. His durability means even more as his passing numbers continue to increase, as he's set career season marks both years with the Buccaneers.
The goal is to minimize sacks and hits for Mayfield without altering the way he plays the game. New offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard said he preaches it at every practice.
"He plays the game like a UFC firefighter," said Grizzard. "I'm trying to take a couple hits off of him, and not playing like that all the time."