Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield's aggressive style led to injuries. Coach Todd Bowles demands smarter play to ensure durability and team success, with the QB's future in question.
INDIANAPOLIS -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Baker Mayfield isn't known for his cautious quarterbacking.
But his head coach in Tampa Bay doesn't care for that approach.
The Buccaneers didn't exactly go through 2025 with a clean bill of health, and Mayfield played a good bit of the season without some of his best weapons as a result. Running back Bucky Irving missed seven games, and veteran receivers Chris Godwin (eight games) and Mike Evans (nine games) were both out for extended periods.
Mayfield started and played in all 17 games this past season, but the eight-year pro didn't make it through the year unscathed.
At various points in the season, Mayfield hurt both of his shoulders and also banged up his knee, and a lot of this is attributed to his aggressive playing style.
Although Mayfield managed to be healthy enough to start every game this season, Todd Bowles isn't sure his QB, who's heading into his fourth year in Tampa, will be so lucky in the future.
“I don't want to say it's sustainable," Bowles told reporters at the NFL combine on Tuesday. "I think that's who he is. He's got to be smarter than that, especially in the second half of the season.
"He's got to be a little smarter taking care of his body, so we can have the availability there."
Bowles made it clear the Bucs are confident in Mayfield going forward.
What he didn't say is that Bowles' future in Tampa might depend on Mayfield.
If Mayfield doesn't perform well in 2026, the Bucs probably won't be good. If the Bucs aren't good, there's a chance the Glazer family decides to move on from Bowles.
Mayfield is entering a big career year himself.
In the last year of a four-year contract, he has to show the Bucs -- and any other team that may look for a talented, veteran quarterback in free agency in 2027 -- that he can both stay healthy and play disciplined football.
The worst season of Mayfield's career took place largely because he was playing hurt. In 2021, Mayfield ended the year completing throwing just four more touchdowns (17) than interceptions (13).
That production is similar to what Mayfield did in the last nine games of this past season (10 TD, 9 INT), and the Bus went 2-7.
Although it's obvious to say Mayfield needs to be on the field as much as possible, it's also fair to wonder if he'd be the same quarterback without taking the amount of risks that he does.
It might not be possible to find a balance, but if the Bucs can, then Bowles will get his wish.
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