Baker Mayfield Injured, Leaves Game in Pain Against Vikings

Baker Mayfield Suffers Thumb Injury During Game

In a critical moment during the fourth quarter, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield attempted a desperate fourth-down pass against the Minnesota Vikings, which resulted in an interception. Unfortunately, as Vikings linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel secured the ball, Mayfield was left on the ground, visibly in agony.

It became evident that Mayfield had sustained an injury to the thumb on his throwing hand, bending in an unnatural direction. Following the game, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles confirmed that Mayfield had dislocated his thumb.

“He’ll get an MRI tomorrow just to see exactly what inside is wrong,” Bowles stated. “We’ll know more tomorrow.”

The results of the MRI will be crucial in determining the extent of the injury, particularly whether there is any ligament damage. If surgery is required, Mayfield could be sidelined for an extended period, potentially landing him on the injured reserve list, which would mean missing at least four games.

His recovery timeline will ultimately depend on how quickly he can regain his grip strength.

Backup Quarterback Steps In

After the injury, Mayfield exited the field and made his way to the Buccaneers’ locker room for evaluation, which included an X-ray at Raymond James Stadium.

With Mayfield unable to continue, rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels took over for the final two minutes of the game, facing a 23-16 deficit. Despite his efforts, Daniels was unable to secure a victory, throwing an interception on the last play.

The Buccaneers, now 0-3 for the season, face a challenging situation, particularly if their starting quarterback’s injury sidelines him for an extended period.

Source Reference: Baker Mayfield leaves game after writhing in pain on turf in Tampa Bay when thumb on throwing hand injured