Baker Mayfield Predicts Bucs Will 'Shock a Lot of People' During 2026 NFL Season

Despite failing to reach the playoffs last year, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is bullish about his team's chances to make some noise in 2026.

"I think we're gonna shock a lot of people this year," Mayfield said Tuesday, per ESPN's Jenna Laine. "You can't avoid it. There's some TVs everywhere."

When asked, "Are you that confident?" Mayfield responded, "Hell yeah I am. Everybody's picking us probably to have a losing record, so… we'll see."

Mayfield is entering the final year of his contract, and he previously said he felt "disrespected" by the Bucs' offers for a new deal.

"If you've waited this long to take care of your franchise quarterback, that's too bad because it's only going to get worse from here. I'm going to have a really big year," Mayfield said last month.

Mayfield has never been short on confidence, but it's clear that he's bringing an extra edge to the 2026 season as he tries to prove he's an elite quarterback while leading the Bucs back to playoff contention.

"I've never seen him this focused," general manager Jason Licht recently said of Mayfield. "He has always been a focused player. Shoot, he gets in here at probably 4 a.m. I can just see it. Not that he wasn't before, but I just see a bit extra motivation on his part."