Baker Mayfield And The Race For MVP
October 6th, 2025
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield prepares to slide after a successful run Sunday in Seattle.
Is Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield the MVP of the league? The way he played yesterday he ought to be in the running. And a respected chronicler of the NFL believes it is not BS to suggest Mayfield could be the league MVP when the smoke clears from the season.
Mayfield yesterday in the 38-35 win over the Seahawks in Seattle was simply spectacular. He only had 4 incompletions (!) in 33 attempts.
And Joe maintains that despite the score, Seattle is no pushover on defense.
Dan Graziano of ESPN who is widely respected across the NFL, typed a piece where he cannot understand how Mayfield wouldn’t be in the mix for league MVP.
Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION
… [I]t’d be ridiculous not to include Mayfield in the discussion.
The Bucs have a brutal list of injuries for a 4-1 team. They have two starting offensive linemen out with injuries, another (left tackle Tristan Wirfs) who missed the first three games of the season and another (Mike Jordan) who was filling in admirably before he got hurt. Top receiver Mike Evans has missed the past two games with a hamstring injury. Fellow wideout Chris Godwin missed the first three weeks coming back from last year’s season-ending ankle injury. Wide receiver Jalen McMillan, so promising as a rookie in 2024, is out until at least late in the season. Starting running back Bucky Irving missed Sunday’s game with an injury. The defense is down three starters.
The Bucs have no business being 4-1. But their infrastructure and culture are as solid as any team’s, and Mayfield is a huge part of that. He has gone from journeyman to stabilizing force in three years in Tampa, where the team is pushing for a fifth straight division title and (it hopes) even more this time.
The fact the Bucs are 4-1 with all these injuries makes Joe hunger for what this team may be later in the season when most of the team is healthy (hopefully).
Imagine what this offense would be like with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan all on the field together healthy.
How fun can this season be if Mayfield’s play continues to push people to vote for him as MVP.