After officially putting pen to paper and signing a three-year, $100 million contract to stay with the Bucs, quarterback Baker Mayfield finally has a team – and a city – that he can truly call home. That was something far from guaranteed just a year ago.

It was on March 15th, 2023 when it was revealed that Mayfield would be coming to Tampa Bay with the hopes of reviving his career. What has unfolded in the past year since has quickly made him a cornerstone of the franchise and community.

Baker Mayfield Is Looking Forward To Running It Back, Setting Roots In Tampa

The Bucs have already been busy in free agency this offseason, re-signing their biggest free agents and adding a former player back into the mix. But no move had arguably more importance than solidifying the quarterback position by keeping Baker Mayfield in the fold. Mayfield not only earned his payday by playing some of the best football of his career and getting the team to the divisional round, but he also brought a much-needed spark to the offense.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and LT Tristan Wirfs at 2024 Pro Bowl – Photo by: USA Today

It would be a daunting task for many trying to fill the shoes of the greatest quarterback of all time, but Mayfield did so last season by being himself on the gridiron and ingratiating himself with his teammates from the get-go. From hanging out at dive bars and taking group trips to the Bahamas to riding the VelociCoaster at Universal with the “big guy” (aka Tristan Wirfs), he bonded authentically and developed a brotherhood with many of them.

Nothing is guaranteed in the NFL, which is something that Mayfield knows firsthand. Getting a new deal done signifies just how impactful he has been in a short time with the team. Getting the opportunity to prove himself and play well last year is something that he is grateful for and he looks forward to running it back with much of the same group and competing to bring another Lombardi Trophy to Tampa Bay.

“Just the opportunity – God had a plan for me and I saw it through,” Mayfield said in his opening statement at Wednesday’s press conference. “And the group we had, as well, made it so special last year – made it a big reason why I wanted to come back here, knowing that we have a lot of the same staff coming back, key pieces, we were close. We made a good run there at the end, but I don’t think any of our guys were satisfied. It was the group that stuck together through all of the highs and lows that made it so special for us.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“I’m looking forward to being able to push for a deeper playoff run. Obviously, if it’s not a Super Bowl, only one team is happy in the end. That’s the goal here – to try and win a couple. I’m very thankful for this opportunity. We call Tampa home now and [Emily and I are] welcoming another key piece to our family, adding a little girl into the family here soon. [There are] a lot of exciting things for us and we’re really, really blessed and can’t say enough.”

Mayfield has carried a chip on his shoulder throughout his football career and that mentality carries over onto the football field through his gritty, energetic playstyle. But after inking a new deal, it’s fair to say that some of that weight has been lifted.

“[It was] a weight lifted off our shoulders from the traveling journey we’ve been on the last couple of years,” Mayfield added. “For us, knowing how much we truly loved being here, and throughout the whole process, we thought we were going to call this place home in the offseason regardless – that’s how much we fell in love with the community, the city overall [and] have truly enjoyed living here.

“So, a weight lifted off our shoulders, but just knowing that we can settle in and truly make a difference, whether it’s with the organization and throughout the community, that we can truly be rooted and kind of have a ’boots on the ground’ mentality to make a difference and see that through. It’s a special feeling.”

Baker Mayfield Has Trusted His NFL Journey

No longer does Baker Mayfield and his family have to look for a new team and city as for the foreseeable future, his home will be in Tampa Bay. With the way Mayfield’s deal is structured, it is likely that he remains the Bucs’ starting quarterback through 2025, his age-30 season. If he can maintain his performance last year or even take it up a level, there is even a chance that he is the answer for the long haul.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and GM Jason Licht – Photo by: Scott Reynolds/PR

Regardless of what the future holds for him, he will “Trust the Process.” While that phrase was coined for the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers back in their dark days, it also characterizes what Mayfield has done while going through his own dark times and the unexpected journey of career pitstops and uncertainty.

“My journey has not been the one that I exactly envisioned – a lot of ups and downs – but just trusting it,” Mayfield said on what he learned about himself last season. “Adversity and how you handle it is really a true test of character. For me, trying to relate it to some of the things I did – from high school [and] having to walk on, to college [and] having to battle for a job, losing a job in Cleveland, going to Carolina, having to move to L.A.

None of that is easy for a player to go through, especially considering when that player went from being a No.1 overall pick, getting a playoff win for that franchise in his third season, to being a castoff and journeyman looking for another place that wanted him. For both Mayfield and the Bucs, they really did find each other at the right place and at the right time.

“[With] all of those things, you realize mental toughness can take you a long way. Trusting in yourself and believing in yourself and having that confidence and trusting in God that you have everything you’re capable of and you have it all right there available for you, so just go do that and be the best version of yourself. For me, this was a good place that has already shown me that I can do that.”