Baker Mayfield Gets Key Injury Update as Return Timeline Comes Down to One Detail

· Yahoo Sports

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield injured his thumb late in a 23-16 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3. The injury ended his run of 57 consecutive starts for Tampa Bay, which began in 2023. 

However,  he has a window for his return from a dislocated right thumb, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter claims one detail decides where in that window he lands. 

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Baker Mayfield return depends on grip strength in dislocated right thumb

Mayfield dislocated the thumb on his throwing hand with 1:54 left in the game during a fourth-down scramble. His hand hit Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman as he released a pass, leading to an Andrew Van Ginkel interception. Mayfield finished the day completing 17 of 34 passes for 217 yards, one touchdown and one interception. 

Sep 27, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Dallas Turner (15) sacks Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the quarterback faces a flexible recovery timeline. His return depends entirely on how quickly he can grip the ball securely enough to throw with confidence. 

“Baker Mayfield is dealing with a dislocated thumb that is expected to sideline the star quarterback anywhere from three to six weeks, depending on how quickly he is able to grip the football, per sources,” ESPN shared on his X handle.

The team is hoping for a quick recovery, opting not to place Mayfield on injured reserve. An MRI confirmed there is no ligament or tendon damage beyond the dislocation. Because they kept him on the active roster, the Bucs are betting he will miss closer to three games rather than the five or six weeks initially feared.

However, two league insiders believe he could beat that timeline. Amazon NFL insider James Palmer said during the Thursday Night Football postgame show that Mayfield has not ruled out an early return. “Don’t be surprised if Baker tries to push this and come back after two [missed games],” Palmer said.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that Mayfield is scheduled to have stitches removed from his thumb Monday. He called it “an important step as he pushes to beat the three-week timeline for returning.”


Until Mayfield returns, Jalon Daniels will take over as the starting quarterback. Daniels is the first undrafted rookie quarterback in franchise history to start a regular-season game. He will lead Tampa Bay into Raymond James Stadium to host the Green Bay Packers.

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