Mayfield to critics: 'Gonna shock a lot of people'

• 

  Jenna LaineAug 18, 2026, 02:15 PM ET

  Close

  Jenna Laine covers the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for ESPN. She started covering the Bucs for ESPN in 2016, but she has covered the team since 2009. Jenna is a former cheerleader at the University of South Florida and speaks to the consistency of the program as being one of the top best in the nation.

TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield, who will play in Saturday's second preseason game against Kansas City Chiefs has gotten wind of what some prognosticators are saying about the Bucs in 2026 after failing to reach the postseason last year.

"I think we're gonna shock a lot of people this year" Mayfield said Tuesday. "You can't avoid it. There's some TVs everywhere."

When a reporter followed up, "Are you that confident?" Mayfield responded, "Hell yeah I am. Everybody's picking us probably to have a losing record so...we'll see."

Mayfield has had to brush aside the frustrations of not getting a new contract despite a pre-camp deadline he imposed along with his agent Tom Mills. Mayfield also said he felt "disrespected" by what the Bucs had initially offered.

When asked about being among the top 10 or in the $50+-million-per-year club, Mayfield told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler he "needed to be put in that category" and the Bucs were "pretty far" from it. He was also unhappy with just a two-year offer despite being told privately and publicly by the team that they see him as their "franchise quarterback." And the timeline of events frustrated him.

"If you've waited this long to take care of your franchise quarterback, that's too bad because it's only going to get worse from here. I'm going to have a really big year," Mayfield said.

General manager Jason Licht said recently that Mayfield is "focused on having the best year of his career."

He had previously set statistical personal bests with the Bucs in 2023 and 2024 befoe taking a step back in 2025. Injuries - not just to him but to his supporting cast -- certainly were a factor in that.

But he has participated in every camp practice, looking strong and healthy, and locked in.

"I've never seen him this focused," Licht said. "He has always been a focused player. Shoot, he gets in here at probably 4 a.m. I can just see it. Not that he wasn't before, but I just see a bit extra motivation on his part."

Mayfield's been devoting extra time and attention to his footwork under new quarterbacks coach Chandler Whitmer, who spent last season guiding Heisman Trophy winner and first-overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza to a National Championship. He's excited about what rookie third-round draft pick Ted Hurst can bring as a big-bodied target in the red zone in the absence of Mike Evans. His participation in Saturday's game is also a deviation from what the Bucs did last year with him.

As for the team, who will undoubtedly go in the direction Mayfield goes, he believes more variety in the run game under new offensive coordinator Zac Robinson will help them and loves the new addition of running back Kenny Gainwell.

"I've just been completely overwhelmed with the amount of talent that he has," Mayfield said. "I didn't know until a little later in the spring, more towards minicamp, that he was a receiver going into college. He was a slot receiver at Memphis and it explains why he's so smooth running routes. And just his run game, he stays true to his tracks. He reads his blocks really, really well. I thought he's been a huge addition for us, but just another spark to give Bucky a spell."

And he's excited about some of the new pieces they've added on defense, like rookie Josiah Trotter, son of former Philadelphia Eagles legend Jeremiah Trotter.

"He's an animal. He's not a rookie. He's physical, he's aggressive. He talks sh-" Mayfield said. "And you know what? We needed guys like that on the defense..."