It’s not totally clear, anymore, what the qualification is to make a Pro Bowl roster, but it still probably seemed like being widely regarded as one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks having the best season of his career should qualify.
For Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield, maybe that’s just not the case.
Mayfield was not one of the 3 quarterbacks on the NFC Pro Bowl roster on January 2 — technically the Pro Bowl Games — left off in favor of Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold and the starter, Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff.
Mayfield could still make the Pro Bowl as a replacement if one of the 3 selected quarterbacks were to drop out. Mayfield is third in the NFL in passing yards — he trails only Goff — and has career highs of 4,279 yards and 39 touchdowns to go with 15 interceptions and a career-high 310 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns.
The Buccaneers are 9-7 headed into their Week 18 regular season finale against the New Orleans Saints in Tampa Bay and can clinch a fourth consecutive NFC South Division title and fifth consecutive playoff appearance with a win.
NFL.com’s Kevin Patra listed Mayfield at No. 5 among his Top 10 Pro Bowl snubs.
“Several Bucs players could warrant nuggets on this list, including Bucky Irving and Mike Evans, but let’s go with the firecracker QB,” Patra wrote. “Mayfield has powered the Bucs to the precipice of another NFC South title, zooming lasers and dropping dimes on defenses. Even though he lost Chris Godwin for the season in Week 7 and had to work without Evans for a spell, Mayfield didn’t miss a beat.”
Mayfield made his first Pro Bowl in 2023 in his first season in Tampa Bay.
Mayfield Has Bigger Goals Than Pro Bowl
ESPN’s Ben Baby reported Mayfield still has a whopping $5 million in contract bonuses still on the line.
“A wild-card win nets Mayfield $500,000, and each successful round carries a higher bonus value that maxes out at $2.5 million for a Super Bowl victory,” Baby wrote on December 25. “But the team-based goals aren’t the only ones that could pay off for Mayfield. He can also earn $500,000 if he’s in the top 10 in the league or top five in the NFC in any of the following categories: passer rating, touchdown passes, passing yards, completion percentage or yards per pass. As of now … he will rake in $2.5 million in incentives.”
Mayfield Delivered Big On ‘Prove It’ Contract
Mayfield experienced the highest of highs as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns to the lowest of lows, when he was traded to the lowly Carolina Panthers in order to be replaced by Deshaun Watson in Cleveland before eventually being released by the Panthers and playing well in a short stint with the Los Angeles Rams.
Mayfield received a 1-year, $3 million “prove-it” contract with the Buccaneers in 2023 after Tom Brady’s second retirement and got his third chance as an NFL starter, delivering what was a career best season and signing a 3-year, $100 million contract in March 2024.
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Shocking Pro Bowl Snub for Buccaneers’ $100 Million ‘Firecracker QB’