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Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield reveals personal motivation behind Week 3 win over Jets appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The 2025 campaign was one of two halves for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their quarterback, Baker Mayfield. The Buccaneers entered their bye week at 6-2, leading the NFC South once again. Mayfield was an MVP candidate, helping lead the Bucs to one of their best starts in franchise history. During that run, Mayfield led Tampa Bay to a 3-0 start, including an emphatic 29-27 comeback win over the New York Jets in Week 3. NFL reporter Ari Meirov shared Mayfield’s personal motivation for the win over the Jets via X, formerly Twitter.
“This is personal for me,” Mayfield yelled. “Wilks cut me. F*** him.”
Before coming to Tampa Bay, Mayfield had quite an NFL journey. The first overall pick by the Cleveland Browns in the 2018 NFL Draft, Mayfield helped lead a revival of fortune in Cleveland. That included a 2020 playoff run, in which Cleveland won their first postseason game since 1994. However, injuries helped lead to his departure from the Browns after the 2021 campaign. After a trade to Carolina to play under Steve Wilks with the Panthers, Mayfield’s stock plummeted even further. Released in early December, a five-game stint with the Los Angeles Rams revived his career.
Taking over after former Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady’s retirement, Mayfield is set to be a free agent after this season. Mayfield has a self-imposed deadline to agree to an extension with the Bucs. If the two can’t come to terms soon, then Mayfield could hit the free agent market next spring. Based on how well Mayfield has played since taking over for Brady, it could pay off well for both sides if they can lock in a deal now. If not, 2026 could vastly alter Mayfield’s stocks, one way or another.
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