The Tampa Bay Buccaneers agreed to terms with quarterback Baker Mayfield on a multiyear contract extension Tuesday, making him the highest-paid player in franchise history. Mayfield also was voted a team captain for the fourth consecutive year as he continues to lead Tampa Bay’s offense.
Since arriving in Tampa Bay in 2023, Mayfield ranks third in the NFL in passing yards with 12,237 and second in passing touchdowns with 95. In 51 regular-season starts for the Buccaneers over the previous three seasons, he completed 1,114 of 1,679 passes for a 66.3% completion rate and a 97.4 passer rating.
Mayfield continues to set offensive standards
Mayfield has established single-season career highs in completions, passing yards, passing touchdowns, completion percentage, passer rating and rushing yards since joining the Buccaneers. He holds Tampa Bay Buccaneers single-season records for completion percentage at 71.4% and passer rating at 106.8.
Mayfield ranks second in franchise history in passer rating at 97.4 and completion percentage at 66.3%. He also ranks third in passing touchdowns with 95, sixth in completions with 1,114 and seventh in passing yards with 12,237.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers guard Ben Bredeson credited Mayfield’s leadership and energy with elevating the offense.
“He has earned it,” Bredeson said. “As we all see, he is a phenomenal leader and teammate and great friend and cannot say enough good things about him and just really happy for him…he is a catalyst out there. We see him and he brings the energy and it brings everybody else up. It makes you want to play harder for him and harder with him and if he is going to put his body on the line for us and lower his shoulder and do that, we have to match that every single play. He is a blast to play with and a blast to block for.”
Alex Anzalone takes defensive leadership role
Alex Anzalone joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency after Lavonte David retired. Anzalone will wear the green dot in 2026 as the quarterback of Todd Bowles’ defense and was named a captain in his first year with Tampa Bay.
Anzalone said the captaincy reflects his approach to leading the defense and contributing on the field.
“Anytime you get that honor, it is huge,” Anzalone said. “It is an honor and blessing and how I go about my things … I did it my way and I lead by example. I do the right things and speak up when something needs to be said and a lot of that has to do with playing linebacker, but it is also who I am so it is an honor to be in that position.”
Tampa Bay Buccaneers announce new 2026 radio crew
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will have a new radio broadcast coverage crew on WXTB 98ROCK, 97.9FM, in 2026. Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers player Dave Moore will continue as the color analyst, while Tony Castricone will handle play-by-play and Jay Recher will serve as the sideline reporter.
Castricone was hired in June to replace Gene Deckerhoff as the voice of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He most recently spent nine seasons as director of broadcasting and the radio voice of University of Washington football and men’s basketball, and previously served as the voice of Clemson men’s basketball.
Recher has more than a decade of experience covering Tampa Bay sports. His work has included coverage of the Buccaneers, Lightning, Rays, Rowdies, Sun, USF, UTampa and high school baseball, along with hosting and producing The Jay Recher podcast and coaching baseball with Hit Factory/USA Scout.
Source: Original report