Buccaneers News
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Baker Mayfield is hoping to keep throwing passes to Buccaneers star receiver Mike Evans.
There are no shortage of NFL rumors about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ offseason, starting with Mike Evans‘ future. During an exclusive interview with Heavy Sports, Buccaneers star quarterback Baker Mayfield discussed Evans’ future, where things went wrong in Tampa Bay last season and his affinity for Sonic’s new smash burgers.
Mayfield expects that Evans will once again be wearing a Buccaneers uniform in 2026.
“I say expectation, that’s my hope (that Evans will return),” Mayfield told Heavy Sports ahead of the Super Bowl. “I would love to have Mike back. Just the player he is, the guy he is, the leader in the locker room. And, you know, looking at him and knowing how competitive he is, you expect him not to want to end his career the way it did.
“He still has some in the tank. That’s for sure. And so I will be very happy if he comes back, but obviously respect whatever decision (he makes).”
Mayfield had some other interesting things to say about the Buccaneers.
Baker Mayfield on Buccaneers Missing the NFL Playoffs: ‘Just a Lack of Execution’
Evans is a free agent in 2026 meaning returning to the Bucs, retiring and even signing with another team are all potential options for the star receiver. Last season, the Buccaneers jumped out to a hot start at 5-1 with wins over the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks as well as other playoff teams like the Houston Texans and San Francisco 49ers.
Things took a turn down the stretch which resulted in Tampa Bay missing the NFL playoffs as the Buccaneers found themselves on the wrong end of a three-way tie for the NFC South title. Mayfield pointed to injures and a “lack of execution” as the major reasons why the Bucs found themselves watching the postseason at home.
“I think injuries finally caught up to us a little bit,” Mayfield admitted. “And just a lack of execution. The little things that we were doing right at the beginning of the year to get us to (a 5-1 start), we didn’t do at the end of the year. And so it comes down to that. It doesn’t matter who’s in there.
“It’s still the NFL. Guys are talented. Guys should know what to do. So (it is a) matter of execution.”
Baker Mayfield on Being an Adopted Floridaman: ‘Well, I Haven’t Wrestled Any Gators Yet’
After being the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NFL draft, Mayfield’s career has had some ups and downs. The signal-caller initially signed with the Buccaneers on a one-year prove-it deal in 2023 but is now heading into his fourth season in Tampa.
Mayfield admits that he has officially become a “Floridaman,” pending an alligator wrestling match.
“Well, I haven’t wrestled any Gators yet,” Mayfield joked. “I’m still looking to do that, so I can really get the full title of Floridaman.
“… I enjoy it. People just kind of live their life in Florida, do what they want and whatever makes them happy and yeah, it’s not a bad place to be.”
Baker Mayfield Is Partnering With Sonic for the New Smash Burger
When Mayfield is not throwing touchdown passes, the quarterback is also a passionate foodie. Mayfield partnered with Sonic amid the release of the new “Sonic Smasher.”
“Partnered up with Sonic to introduce the all-new Sonic Smasher, and I’ll tell you, I’ve been a Sonic fan for a long time and this Smash Burger is very exciting,” Mayfield explained. “You know, when you’re from Texas, you’re pretty particular about barbecue, burgers, all this stuff.
“When you find a good burger, you stick to it and I think I finally found mine.”