Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield Accused of ‘Hiding Injury’ After Loss
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got off to a hot start this season, with a 5-1 record. Turns out they’ll need every part of as they’ve stumbled lately, losing 3 of their last 4 games to drop to 6-4, including consecutive losses the last 2 weeks.
Even worse? Both of those losses have come after their bye in Week 11.
After their latest setback, in a 44-32 road loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 11, The Ringer’s Bill Simmons questioned if there might be something physically wrong with 2-time Pro Bowl quarterback Baker Mayfield.
“I would believe, if you gave me all the QBS and said one of these guys is hiding an injury, Mayfield would be my pick,” Simmons said on “The Bill Simmons Podcast” on Sunday, November 16. “It’s like, ‘Oh, he has a torn labrum’ or like some sort of really bad injury we don’t know about. Because it also seems like he doesn’t want to run with the same zest. So it’s also like maybe he has like a hairline fracture of his left collarbone or something like that.”
Numbers Back Up Mayfield Might Have Problem
While it’s purely speculative to say Mayfield might be hurt, anyone who has watched him play over the last month has to wonder what happened to the freewheeling player who thrust himself into the NFL MVP conversation over the first 6 weeks of the regular season.
The numbers also back up that something has changed. Before the Bills game, Mayfield didn’t have a single rushing yard in the previous 3 games after essentially (for him) running wild over the first 6 weeks.
Against the Bills, Mayfield had 5 carries for 39 yards and his first rushing touchdown of the season — one he paid for dearly. Mayfield, who is still averaging 7.3 yards per carry, finished 16-of-28 passing for 173 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception in the loss to Buffalo.
“Baker Mayfield has now gone three straight games without a single rush attempt,” MB Fantasy Life’s Ian Hartitz wrote on his official X account before the Buccaneers played the Bills. “Was averaging 26 rush yards/game in Weeks 1-6. Popped up on injury report with a knee issue in Week 8, oblique added in Week 10. Probs playing through something we’ll find out more about in January.”
Injuries Have Defined Bucs Season So Far
If it turns out Mayfield has actually been playing hurt, it would be on brand for both how he approaches the game — he’s one of the NFL’s toughest players — and for how things have gone for the Buccaneers to this point in terms of injuries.
” … Bucs had six players get 500+ yards of offense last year, and two played Sunday,” Fox Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman wrote on his official X account on November 16. “The other four — Bucky Irving, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Jalen McMillan — have played 10 of a potential 40 games this season.”
After getting off to such a hot start, Mayfield is on track to have his numbers dip significantly from 2024, when he threw for career highs of 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns to go with 16 interceptions.
At his current pace, Mayfield would finish the 2025 regular season with approximately 4,020 passing yards, 29 touchdowns and a career low 5 interceptions.
Eagles Suffer Pair of Brutal Injury Setbacks in Win Over Lions
The Philadelphia Eagles watched one of the NFL’s best offensive linemen walk off the field and not return when right offensive tackle Lane Johnson left a Week 11 game against the Detroit Lions with what appeared to be an unspecified lower body injury.
Then, they watched another of the NFL’s best offensive linemen leave and not return with center Cam Jurgens, who had missed the last 2 games.
Regardless, the Eagles still slugged it out against the Lions on the way to an ugly, 16-9 win to improve to 8-2. Injuries to Johnson and Jurgens took some of the enjoyment away from the victory, as it’s hard to see the Eagles repeating as Super Bowl champions without either one of those players.
“Lane Johnson with a slow walk to the Eagles’ locker room,” The NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo wrote on his official X account. “He’s battled a few ailments this season ….
Brett Toth came in to replace Jurgens. Fred Johnson came in to replace Lane Johnson.
It’s underlined bigger injury issues the Eagles have dealt with all season on the offensive line when it comes to their 5 projected starters.
“Here’s an underrated Eagles storyline that could explain Philadelphia’s offensive struggles: Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Tyler Steen and Lane Johnson have played every offensive snap in just ONE game this season,” Philly Special’s Anthony DiBona wrote on his official X Account.
Johnson Could Be Nearing End of Career
Johnson, to be fair, is 35 years old and a 2-time Super Bowl champion in his 13th NFL season. He’s also playing on a 1-year, $25 million contract — a sign his career might be coming to an end soon.
“It feels like Lane Johnson might be getting to the point of his career that Jason Peters was at the end, where he’s still really good when he’s on the field, but injuries pull him off relatively frequently,” Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly wrote on X.
“Lane Johnson is a first ballot HOF and one of the best Eagles of all time,” Eagles fan Patrick Philly PMC wrote on his official X account. “But Father Time is undefeated. The Eagles need to find his replacement.”
Less than one week earlier, Johnson left a Monday Night Football win over the Green Bay Packers with an ankle injury and returned to the game.
“Nick Sirianni and Eagles players said Lane Johnson coming back in and battling through his ankle injury is inspiring and lifts everyone,” NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark wrote on his official X account on November 11. “They say it makes everyone stronger seeing that.”
Jurgens Struggled Before Leaving Game With Injury
Before Jurgens got hurt — another undisclosed injury — he appeared to be struggling to shake off the rust from missing the previous 2 games.
Jurgens signed a 4-year, $68 million contract extension in April but also underwent offseason back surgery after the Eagles’ win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX in February.
“Cam Jurgens is struggling in his return so far,” Birds 365 host John McMullen wrote on his official X account.
“Every game is getting a little better,” Jurgens told The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane about his back surgery in October. “But it’s football. You go out there, don’t matter if you’re 100 (percent) or 60. Your play is your play.”
