It’s been a thumbs-down start for Baker Mayfield and the winless Buccaneers and it may only get worse.
Mayfield suffered a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand during Sunday’s 23-16 home loss to the Vikings and is scheduled for an MRI on Monday, according to head coach Todd Bowles.
X-rays did not show a break, but testing could reveal any potential ligament damage or other injuries.
“He’s going to get an MRI (on Monday) just to see what inside is wrong with it,” Bowles said after falling to 0-3. “We’ll know more tomorrow.”
Mayfield, 31, suffered the injury on his final pass Sunday, a desperation heave while evading pressure on fourth-and-13 at the Buccaneers’ 39-yard line with 1:54 remaining.
While Mayfield chucked the ball downfield, ultimately resulting in an interception, Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman hit the quarterback’s hand.
Mayfield stayed on the ground in visible pain while the Vikings celebrated the turnover in a 20-16 game, with Fox analyst Jonathan Vilma noting “he’s in serious pain.”
Jalon Daniels replaced Mayfield for the final drive and threw an interception on a Hail Mary attempt to end the game.
Mayfield did not speak to reporters and had ice on his right hand while leaving the locker room, according to ESPN.
“I was in shock,” Buccaneers left tackle Tristan Wirfs said, per ESPN. “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 adds to what has been a miserable start for both Mayfield and the Buccaneers after a bumpy offseason.
The sides finalized a three-year, $165 million extension only five days before the opener, and Mayfield has rewarded the team with less-than-inspiring play.
Mayfield lost three fumbles and did not throw a touchdown pass in a 33-27 road loss to the Bengals in Week 1, perhaps knocked you out of your Survivor Pool with a shocking 23-19 home loss to the Browns in Week 2 and completed just 17 of 34 passes for 217 yards in Sunday’s defeat.
He has just two touchdown passes and 615 passing yards.
The Buccaneers host the Packers in Week 4 and what could be a must-win game for both teams and it’s possible Daniels, an undrafted free agent, is under center.
“Funny thing, we’re 0-3 and a game out of first place,” Bowles said in reference to the weak NFC South. “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.”
