If you thought Baker Mayfield was fiery and had a chip on his shoulder before, just wait until this season kicks off.

Everyone knows about Mayfield’s contract situation, as the Bucs quarterback is now set to play out the final year of his deal rather than getting a more lucrative contract extension. Pair that with a home opener against the Browns in Week 2 and trying to bounce back from a disappointing 8-9 season in 2025, and there is no telling how pissed off he will be and what will come of it.

The veteran signal-caller opened up about plenty in a 30-minute conversation on the 4th And South w/ Jarvis Landry & Leonard Fournette podcast, which released on Tuesday. Mayfield shared with Landry and Fournette how he is feeling physically, his mindset in the middle of training camp, and just how good the team can be with him leading it in 2026.

Baker Mayfield Opens Up About Taking Care Of Business On And Off The Field

Baker Mayfield was first asked about how he is doing physically. While a simple question, it is one with more legs than previously believed after watching Netflix’s Quarterback series and seeing the extent of injuries Mayfield played through last season.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: Jeffrey Jones/PR

“I feel good,” Mayfield said. “I feel like I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in. It took a while to feel healthy enough to actually train and get to that point. I feel great. You find your routine in the later years of your career and what works for you schedule-wise, workout-wise, diet-wise, all the things that you need to adjust and adapt to as the years go on.

“Last year I was banged up, but the whole team was. I feel good about where I’m at right now, and just for everybody that had to play and get thrown into the fire last year, I feel good about where the team’s at right now, too.”

Mayfield and the Bucs are in the middle of their first test of the season taking on the Jets this week. Intense Tuesday and Wednesday practices brought fights and entanglements between players, which is on brand for what No. 6’s mentality will be on the football field all season.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

This is another year where he must prove himself and lock in to be locked up on a contract that keeps him in Tampa Bay and ends any doubt as to whether he is a franchise quarterback.

“To me, you’ve got to show up every day trying to earn that right,” Mayfield said. “I know I’m a franchise quarterback here, but I still got to show up and pay my rent every day. It’s corny, cliché, whatever you want to call say, but that’s the mindset I have. You got to go earn it each day, and if you’re not trying to get better, somebody’s doing it. Somebody’s going to beat you. That’s the nature of playing in the NFL. It’s the highest level possible so somebody’s always chasing it, take your spot.”

Mayfield kept it brief when discussing the business side of things, especially after it was just about every question he was asked during his press conference on the second day of training camp in late July. The team wants him to earn it, and he wants his revenge and redemption.

“There’s the business side of football; yes, we all play this for a job, but they know that when it comes to gamedays, I’m ready for a good season. I want my lick back in 2026; we didn’t play well enough in ’25, so it’s on go.”

Baker Mayfield: Bucs Can Be “Top Five” Team, But Have To Handle NFC South

It was obvious even before former Browns teammate Jarvis Landry asked the question that the game Baker Mayfield has circled on his calendar is facing his former team in Week 2. Mayfield wants to show he is in a better place and handles business when Cleveland comes to town. Outside of just seeing them, his sights are set on not just winning the NFC South after giving it up to the Panthers but conquering it.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: IMAGN – Jim Dedmon

“Going back to the division, everybody views the NFC South as probably the weakest in the whole NFL, and I get that,” Mayfield said. “We also haven’t taken care of business within the division. We’ve split series with these teams, we’ve gone 0-2 against the Falcons and the Saints, whatever it might be. We haven’t played to our potential. You got to take care of those games first. In the back of your mind, if you don’t take care of those games, when it comes to a little bit of adversity down the road, you’re like, ‘Aww, here we go again.’

“We’ve played good against higher competition, and some of the teams that are branded the top of the NFL, but we have to do that week in and week out. To me, I think that’s the next step. It’s just about doing little things right, doing that consistently throughout the year.”

Should Mayfield and the rest of the team put it together and remain healthy, he views this group as one that can make the postseason and go on an improbable run. To his point, it has happened before, and the Seahawks and Patriots were not exactly favorites to win it all before the 2026 season.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by Cliff Welch/PR

“I mean, top five in the league,” Mayfield said about how good the Bucs can be. “Once you get in the dance, y’all know anything can happen. It’s top five. A healthy Bucs team upfront, if it’s not one, it’s top two upfront. Defensive line, when they’re healthy, we got depth now. That’s how the game is won, in the trenches. We got the skill guys, we got depth. If we can put the pieces together, the roster on paper, we’ve got what it takes. It’ll be a fun year.”

Just about everything has to break the Bucs way in order for the best-case scenario to become reality. Baker Mayfield has always approached the game that way, which is why he is sitting where is he right now. Should he lead this team to the next step, it will be the best example yet of Mayfield overcoming doubt and ensuring he remains right at home. No matter what happens, it will be entertaining to watch.