Bucs Gameday

Baker Mayfield Listed on Buccaneers' Most Recent Injury Report

Mayfield earned a lot of respect from the fans in Tampa Bay for throwing his body on the line in Week 1, but he may need to be more careful if he plans to stay on the field for a full season.

Collin Haalboom

In this story:

Although his numbers were modest, there's no question that Baker Mayfield had an indelible impact on the Buccaneers' week 1 victory over the Minnesota Vikings last Sunday. 

He made plenty of throws. But it was his poise, competitive spirit, and sheer determination that helped the Buccaneers close the door on the Vikings. The most emphatic example of this was when Baker stiff-armed Vikings' cornerback, Byron Murphy Jr., during the heat of the battle. 

The play (captured in the video clip above) is a perfect representation of just how gritty of a player Mayfield is, regardless of position. The fact that he's a quarterback just makes the aggression and physicality displayed on the run that much more impressive.

READ MORE: Tom Brady Linked to New York Jets Following Aaron Rodgers' Season-Ending Injury

Kyle Brandt of the NFL Network certainly took notice. 

On the team's final drive of the game, Mayfield lowered his shoulder and ran right through Vikings' safety, Josh Metellus, to pick up a crucial first down to maintain possession. 

As much as the fans in Tampa enjoyed seeing their quarterback plow through a defender to help seal a victory to open the season, there are obvious risks involved when it comes to quarterbacks putting their bodies on the line.

So I'm sure those same fans who got out of their recliners to stand up, yell, and fist pump after watching Baker Mayfield will his way to that first down, felt a little uneasy when they saw him pop up on the Buccaneers' injury report on Wednesday.

It's good news that Mayfield is a full participant in practice, but any time you see a starting quarterback's name next to 'right shoulder' on an injury report, it's cause for concern. 

Especially for a player who has dealt with a serious shoulder injury in the past.

READ MORE: Buccaneers’ Quarterback Baker Mayfield Knew Minnesota Vikings’ Signals

And though it doesn't sound like this injury is anything serious, at the very least, it may lead to a private conversation between head coach, Todd Bowles, and his new starting quarterback, Baker Mayfield, about the importance of prioritizing his health this season.

You can follow Collin Haalboom on X. 

Published
Collin Haalboom
COLLIN HAALBOOM

Prior to joining BucsGameday and Sports Illustrated, Collin's written content was provided through Bucs Banter, and NFL Draft Lounge. He is also the creator and host of the Bucs Banter Podcast. He is a graduate of the Communication Studies program at McMaster University, where he was also a varsity basketball player, and later an advanced scout. He lives with his wife and two children in Hamilton, ON. You can follow Collin on YouTube and Twitter.