Honestly, if you've been following NFL rosters like a game of musical chairs over the last few years, nobody would blame you for being a little confused. Baker Mayfield has had quite the journey. He went from being the savior of Cleveland to a brief, weird stint in Carolina, a "cup of coffee" with the Rams, and then finally landing in Florida.
But here is the short answer: Baker Mayfield plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He isn't just a placeholder anymore, either. As we roll into early 2026, he’s firmly entrenched as the franchise guy in Tampa. He’s currently playing under a massive three-year, $100 million contract extension he signed back in March 2024. If you’re looking at the calendar and wondering when he might move again, he is under contract through the end of the 2026 season.
The Contract Situation: Is He Moving Soon?
Most people see "three-year deal" and assume everything is set in stone. It's never that simple in the NFL.
📖 Related: What Channels Are The Lions Game On: Why Most Fans Get It Wrong
Just recently, in July 2025, the Buccaneers actually reworked his deal to give him a bit more security. They basically guaranteed $30 million of his 2026 salary. Before that, his 2026 money was sort of "monopoly money"—not guaranteed at all. By doing this, the Bucs basically signaled to the league that they aren't looking for a new quarterback this offseason.
He’s set to earn a massive $40 million in cash during the 2026 season. That’s a huge jump from his earlier days when he was signing one-year "prove it" deals for $4 million just to keep his career alive.
Why the 2025 Season Changed Everything
The 2025 season was a total roller coaster. You might have seen the headlines—at one point early in the year, Baker was actually a frontrunner for MVP. The Bucs started 5-1 and he was playing some of the most efficient football of his entire life.
Then, things got rocky.
📖 Related: Pieter-Steph du Toit: Why The Malmesbury Machine is Actually Human
The team finished 8-9, missing out on the NFC South title to the Panthers. Baker’s stats for the 2025 season ended up like this:
- Passing Yards: 3,693
- Touchdowns: 26
- Interceptions: 11
- Rushing Yards: 382 (A career high!)
He actually became one of the most dangerous scramblers in the league last year. He led all quarterbacks in yards per rush ($6.9$ yards) among those with at least 50 carries.
The Coaching Shakeup in Tampa
If you're asking who Baker plays for because you heard rumors of him leaving, it probably has to do with the coaching drama. There was a ton of talk about Todd Bowles being on the hot seat after the Bucs collapsed late in 2025 (they won only two of their last nine games).
📖 Related: Why Every Kansas City Chiefs Highlight Feels Like Magic Right Now
There were even wild rumors about John Harbaugh coming to Tampa.
However, as of January 2026, the team has confirmed that Todd Bowles is returning as head coach. Baker is staying put, but he’s going to have a new offensive coordinator. The team just fired Josh Grizzard after only one season. There’s a lot of chatter about a potential reunion with Todd Monken, who Baker worked with back in Cleveland.
What This Means for Your Fantasy Team or Fandom
If you're wondering if he's a safe bet for your 2026 roster, the answer is mostly yes—with a "but."
Baker is the guy in Tampa, but he’s 30 now (turning 31 soon). The 2026 season is the final year of his current contract. While General Manager Jason Licht has said he wants to keep Baker "for a long time," if the team misses the playoffs again in 2026, we might see a total rebuild in 2027.
What to Watch For Next:
- The OC Hire: Whoever Tampa hires to replace Josh Grizzard will dictate if Baker returns to those 4,000-yard seasons.
- 2027 Free Agency: Since he hasn't signed a further extension yet, he is currently scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in 2027.
- The Left Shoulder: Keep an eye on his health. He missed half of a game against the Rams in late 2025 with a shoulder injury, and while he finished the season, those hits add up.
Basically, Baker Mayfield has found a home. For a guy who was once considered a "bust" by the loud talkers on TV, leading the Buccaneers into the 2026 season as a highly-paid starter is a pretty incredible comeback story.
If you are tracking his status for the upcoming season, your next move should be watching the 2026 NFL Draft. If the Bucs don't take a quarterback in the first two rounds, it's a 100% guarantee that it's the Baker Mayfield show in Tampa Bay for at least one more full year.