NewzBaker Mayfield has a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand. The Buccaneers quarterback was hurt late in the fourth quarter of Tampa Bay's loss to Minnesota on Sunday. (AP) — Harassed all day by Minnesota's menacing pass rush, Baker Mayfield fled the pocket again — this time scrambling and weaving more 20 yards backward before launching a desperation heave that was intercepted.
Even worse for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the quarterback's throwing hand glanced off the arm of linebacker Blake Cashman on the follow-through.“He's got a dislocated thumb. He's going to have an MRI (Monday) just to see exactly what inside is wrong with it,” coach Todd Bowles said after Sunday's 23-16 loss to the Vikings, which left the Bucs winless through three games for the first time since 2014.While X-rays didn't show a break in the right thumb, Bowles stressed the team will not know the severity of the injury until after the MRI.Mayfield left Raymond James Stadium without speaking to the media.The Bucs have lost 10 of 12 games dating to last season and the two-time Pro Bowl selection, who has resurrected his career since joining Tampa Bay in 2023, has not played well since signing a three-year, $165 million contract extension less than a week before the season opener.Tampa Bay's offense scored two touchdowns in a season-opening loss to Cincinnati and one in a loss to Cleveland. Mayfield connected with rookie Ted Hurst III for 40-yard TD in the opening quarter Sunday, but he failed to get the Bucs into the end zone again against the Vikings.Mayfield finished 17 of 34 for 217 yards and was sacked six times.
He had an 85-yard scoring pass to Chris Godwin nullified by a holding penalty in the third quarter.The last time the Bucs started 0-3, they went on to finish 2-14 and selected Jameis Winston with the first overall pick in the following draft.“The funny thing is we're 0-3 and we're a game out of first place. We have to get our stuff together, reach down ... do more and figure out how we can be better,” said Bowles, who entered the season on the hot seat after dropping seven of nine games following a 6-2 start in 2025.The coach defended his decision to leave the offense on the field for the play that resulted in Mayfield's injury.Trailing 20-16, the Bucs faced fourth-and-13 from their own 39 with just under two minutes remaining.
Mayfield retreated all the way inside the Bucs 15 before launching a pass that was intercepted by linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel. Five plays later, Will Reichard kicked a 43-yard field goal to put Minnesota …
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