TAMPA, Fla. – Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield suffered a low-grade sprain in the AC joint of his left shoulder, according to an MRI performed on Monday.
A source close to the team indicated that the injury is not serious, which is a relief for the player and the team.
Mayfield’s participation in next Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals is still uncertain, but there are no long-term concerns about his physical condition.
Mayfield was injured during the Buccaneers’ loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night, marking the team’s third consecutive loss, which now has a record of 6-5 in the season.
After leading the Buccaneers on an offensive drive that culminated in a touchdown at the end of the second quarter, Mayfield was attended to in the team’s medical tent. Although his return was initially considered doubtful, he eventually returned to the field for Tampa Bay’s next offensive drive.
“When he leaves the field, he is obviously very affected because he is a tough guy,” coach Todd Bowles declared on Monday. “When he entered the tent, you could see it on his face when he left the field, you could sense that something had happened.”
Todd BowlesIn the last play of the first half, Mayfield attempted a long pass from the 37-yard line, but fell to the ground and appeared to feel pain again. Initially ruled out for the second half, his absence in the third quarter was finally confirmed. He was seen on the sidelines with his left arm in a sling. Teddy Bridgewater entered the field instead, and would be the starter if Mayfield, who has led the Bucs to two consecutive NFC South division titles, couldn’t play. Bowles commented that Mayfield’s absence would be a “big loss due to his performance and how he has guided us in recent weeks, and even last year”. “At the same time, we all trust Teddy. We know what he can do and the level of confidence he brings. He’s a different kind of energy, but one we all feed off of and look forward to.” Bridgewater completed 8 of 15 passes for 62 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions, while Mayfield had completed 9 of 19 passes for 41 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. “He’s a different quarterback, so schematically, we’re going to have to do some different things to make him comfortable in the offense and do a lot of things he likes,” Bowles said of Bridgewater. “There are some similarities, but also some differences to make him more comfortable. He’s been here long enough that, if he had to play, we can adjust it the right way so he can be successful.” Mayfield hasn’t missed a start in his three seasons with the Bucs, playing in all 45 regular season games so far. The last time he missed a game due to injury was in 2022, when he played for the Carolina Panthers and suffered a sprained ankle. The last time Bridgewater was a starter was in 2022 with the Miami Dolphins, in a 23-21 loss to the New England Patriots.
