The Tampa Bay Buccaneers secured their first victory of the 2026 NFL season with a 24-16 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night. Rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels helped lead the team to the result while Baker Mayfield continued recovering from a dislocated right thumb.
Tampa Bay improved to 1-4 after losing its first four games by one possession.
However, Mayfield’s recovery remains an important storyline as Tampa Bay prepares to host the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 6. The veteran quarterback has missed the last two games, and head coach Todd Bowles has provided a new update on the condition of his throwing hand.
Baker Mayfield Injury Update Reveals Buccaneers’ Plan for Steelers
The Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud reported the latest development regarding Mayfield’s thumb injury and Tampa Bay’s quarterback plans.
“Coach Todd Bowles said that Baker Mayfield has a smaller splint on his dislocated thumb injury. They will see if he can grip a ball this week, but the plan is to go with Jalon Daniels vs. the Steelers.”
The smaller splint offers an update on Mayfield’s recovery, but the Buccaneers still need to determine whether he can grip a football comfortably.
His availability will depend on how his throwing hand progresses as the team evaluates him during the week.
Mayfield dislocated his right thumb during Tampa Bay’s Week 3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Bowles initially said the quarterback would miss at least three weeks, making his recovery timeline an important consideration ahead of the Pittsburgh matchup.
The latest update does not confirm Mayfield’s return against the Steelers.
Instead, Tampa Bay currently plans to give Daniels another start while continuing to monitor the progress of its regular starter.
Mayfield’s absence also marks a change for a quarterback who had started 57 consecutive regular-season and postseason games for Tampa Bay.
His injury forced the Buccaneers to turn to Daniels, who made his first NFL start against the Green Bay Packers before leading the team against the Dallas Cowboys.
The possibility of Mayfield’s return remains something to monitor, but the smaller splint alone does not determine when he will be cleared to play.
Jalon Daniels Gives Buccaneers Confidence After Cowboys Win
Daniels strengthened his case for another opportunity by leading Tampa Bay past Dallas.
The rookie completed 76% of his passes, threw for 189 yards, and recorded one touchdown without an interception in the victory.
The Buccaneers also received significant support from their running game.
Bucky Irving rushed for a career-high 165 yards on 21 carries and scored both a rushing and receiving touchdown.
Irving opened the second half with a 72-yard run, setting up Emeka Egbuka’s 14-yard touchdown run on the following play.
Later, Daniels connected with Tez Johnson for a 64-yard gain, helping set up another Irving touchdown.
Tampa Bay’s defense also delivered three second-half takeaways.
Alex Anzalone intercepted a tipped pass with just over a minute remaining to stop Dallas’ final comeback attempt and help secure the win.
Bowles praised the team’s performance across all three phases after the game.
“We played good complementary football in all three phases, starting, and that kind of spurred everything in the first half,” Bowles said.
“Jalon did an excellent job of taking care of the football and the defense played well.”
The Buccaneers now have a winning performance to build on as they prepare for Pittsburgh. Daniels is the current plan for Week 6, while Mayfield’s progress with the smaller splint will determine how his recovery develops over the coming days.
Buccaneers Get Major Baker Mayfield Update Ahead of Steelers Game