Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield said Thursday that he felt “disrespected” by the team during recent failed contract negotiations.
Mayfield set a self-imposed deadline of training camp to agree to a new deal with the team as he heads into the final year of his current three-year, $100 million agreement. Ultimately, the two sides were unable to come to an agreement, and Mayfield suggested Thursday that he felt the Buccaneers had simply not offered to pay him what he think he deserves.
Though he made clear that he still loves it in Tampa and wants to stay long-term, Mayfield said Thursday that he was disappointed that the Buccaneers were, in his mind, undervaluing him through their offers.
“I’m very, very thankful for the chance they gave me, do not get me wrong on that,” Mayfield said. “But I also know what I’ve brought to this franchise leadership-wise and even play-wise. It’s been some of the best years of my career and I think it’s only going to trend upwards. Disappointing in that regard to feel disrespected a little bit. That’s really the disappointing part, to feel undervalued after thinking you’ve earned it.
“I think I’m a franchise quarterback. I’ve been told I’m a franchise quarterback. It’s been said publicly from ownership down here. So to not have a deal done is very disappointing, but I said the deadline was the deadline, and I addressed the team to let them know I meant that.”
#Bucs QB Baker Mayfield says he felt “disrespected” and “undervalued” by the contract offers he received. He believes he’s a franchise QB, says he’s going to have a big year, and that the team is going to pay for it in the end.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 30, 2026
Here’s everything Mayfield said. He was very… https://t.co/W38UH7pPPp pic.twitter.com/hq4GRZkKwU
In a separate interview with ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Mayfield said he was also frustrated that the Buccaneers only offered him a two-year contract, and that they wound up being “pretty far” from offering him $50 million annually.
Baker Mayfield tells ESPN the Bucs offered him a two-year deal, which was ‘probably the most disappointing’ part. Wanted long-term commitment.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) July 30, 2026
Added Bucs were ‘pretty far’ from $50+M per club, which he wanted to enter.
More to come on @SportsCenter pic.twitter.com/B0ydNRWG8U
Mayfield is not necessarily wrong about his value. The Jacksonville Jaguars are paying Trevor Lawrence $55 million annually, and Mayfield is more accomplished than Lawrence is. He had previously hinted that contract talks were not going well, but had still held out hope to get something done before the start of training camp.
Mayfield, 31, threw for 3,693 yards with 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions last season despite playing through some fairly significant injuries for much of the year. He is famous for using perceived disrespect as fuel, so a big season might be coming from him.
