Baker Mayfield dislocates thumb on throwing hand in loss to Vikings

Rick Stroud, Tampa Bay Times on Sep 27, 2026

Published in Football

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ season is a lot like Baker Mayfield’s throwing hand: bloodied, painful and twisted in the wrong direction.

Mayfield dislocated his right thumb while trying to make a desperation pass on fourth down that was intercepted with 1:39 remaining in the Bucs’ 23-16 loss to the Minnesota Vikings Sunday to drop Tampa Bay to its first 0-3 start since 2014.

Mayfield had his right hand wrapped and did not speak to media following the game.

“He’s got a dislocated thumb,” coach Todd Bowles said. ”He’ll get an MRI (Monday) just to see exactly what inside is wrong with it."

Bowles said X-rays did not show a break but they would know more after tests on Monday.

Rookie Jalon Daniels, an undrafted free agent from Kansas, is expected to start next Sunday when the Bucs host the Packers.

Mayfield has started every game since joining the Bucs in 2023. The team also has veteran quarterback Easton Stick on the practice squad.

The Bucs trailed by four and had three timeouts remaining when they faced fourth-and-13 at their 38-yard line with 1:54 left to play.

But Bowles decide to go for it on fourth down, and Mayfield was flushed from the pocket. He retreated backward about 15 yards and was hit by Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman as he threw a pass that was intercepted by linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel.

Bowles said he did not consider punting the ball in that situation.

“End of the game, we needed a play,” he said. ”We’d get the ball back with very little time. We had to make a play."

____