Baker Mayfield’s NFL career has had more plot twists than a streaming drama, but after an eye-opening 2024 season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the former No.1 overall pick is now entering 2025 with something he hasn’t had in years, legitimate MVP buzz.
Mayfield’s performance last season shattered expectations. Despite a career that had previously seen him bounce from Cleveland to Carolina to Los Angeles, the 29-year-old quarterback flourished in Tampa Bay, posting personal bests across the board.
He threw for 4,500 yards, 41 touchdowns, completed 71.4 percent of his passes, and finished with a passer rating of 106.8 – putting him in the same conversation as Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen.
Those numbers would be impressive under any circumstance, but they’re even more remarkable given that he spent part of the season without star receiver Mike Evans and lost Chris Godwin after Week 7.
Now, entering the 2025 campaign, both Evans and Godwin are healthy. Add in top rookie additions Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan, tight end Cade Otton, and dynamic running back Bucky Irving, and Mayfield’s arsenal looks as deep as any quarterback’s in the league.
There’s also continuity on the coaching staff and an improving offensive line, providing the stability needed for another high-level campaign.
Bleacher Report made a bold case for Mayfield as a dark horse MVP candidate, writing, “The 2018 No. 1 overall pick was the league’s fourth-highest-rated passer while leading the Bucs to another division crown in 2024.”
Mayfield must overcome inconsistency to stay in the MVP hunt
As electrifying as Mayfield was for much of the season, there’s one stretch that continues to cast a shadow over his MVP potential – the Buccaneers’ month-long slump.
That 0-4 slide in the middle of the 2024 season not only hurt Tampa Bay’s seeding in the playoffs, but also derailed any serious consideration for Mayfield in the MVP race. He ultimately finished 11th in the voting.
To join the conversation with the likes of Mahomes and Allen, Mayfield can’t afford another dip in form. That means maintaining high production across all 17 games and minimizing the turnover issues that occasionally crept in last year.
Even slight improvements in decision-making could help offset any statistical regression that comes from more balanced offensive play.
Winning remains a key piece of the puzzle. If Tampa Bay can hit double-digit victories and repeat as NFC South champions, Mayfield’s profile will grow.
He’s already earned the respect of teammates and coaches, and now he has a chance to sway voters as well.
No one is predicting that Mayfield will suddenly leap past Mahomes or Allen in the MVP conversation without resistance.
But the NFL thrives on unlikely comebacks and redemption stories. Mayfield, once cast aside as another draft bust, has reshaped his narrative in Tampa.
Now, he stands at the edge of something far more unexpected, a serious shot at becoming the league’s most valuable player.
To get there, the formula is simple but demanding: stay healthy, stay efficient, win games, and avoid the kind of collapse that cost him last year.
Do that, and Baker Mayfield might just pull off the NFL’s next big surprise.
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