Baker Mayfield Suffers Dislocated Thumb as Buccaneers' Struggles Continue
The Buccaneers quarterback will undergo an MRI after injuring his throwing hand in Sunday's loss to the Vikings, adding to the team's winless start.
Baker Mayfield, the quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, suffered a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand during the team's 23-16 home loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. Head coach Todd Bowles announced that Mayfield is scheduled for an MRI on Monday to assess the extent of the injury. X-rays performed after the game did not reveal a fracture.
The injury occurred on Mayfield's final pass of the game, a desperation heave on fourth-and-13 with under two minutes remaining. While attempting to evade pressure from Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman, Mayfield's hand was hit, leading to the injury. He remained on the ground in visible pain as the Vikings secured an interception.
Jalon Daniels replaced Mayfield for the Buccaneers' final drive, which ended with an interception on a Hail Mary attempt. Mayfield was seen with ice on his right hand as he left the locker room, according to ESPN.
"He's going to get an MRI (on Monday) just to see what inside is wrong with it," Bowles said following the team's third consecutive loss, which dropped their record to 0-3. "We'll know more tomorrow."
Buccaneers left tackle Tristan Wirfs expressed concern over Mayfield's injury, telling ESPN, "I was in shock. It's tough. He's a competitor. He was trying to make a play at the end of the game. That's who he is. That's who he's always been."
The injury exacerbates a difficult start to the season for both Mayfield and the Buccaneers. The team finalized a three-year, $165 million contract extension with Mayfield just five days before the season opener. However, Mayfield's performance has been inconsistent, marked by three lost fumbles and no touchdown passes in a Week 1 loss to the Bengals, followed by a home defeat to the Browns in Week 2. In Sunday's game against the Vikings, he completed 17 of 34 passes for 217 yards.
Mayfield has thrown for two touchdowns and 615 passing yards through the first three games. The Buccaneers are set to host the Green Bay Packers in Week 4, a game that could be crucial for both teams. If Mayfield is unable to play, Daniels, an undrafted free agent, would likely start at quarterback.
"Funny thing, we're 0-3 and a game out of first place," Bowles said, referencing the NFC South standings. "We have to get our stuff together. We gotta reach down and do more to a coach, to a person, to a player, we gotta do more and figure out what we can do more and how can we be better."