There is nothing that gets fans fired up more than seeing what others think of the starting quarterback. Sometimes, fans can be the most critical of them; sometimes, they defend them. Whenever the quarterback play is great, it makes things easier on them to talk about them.
NFL Media published their ranking of the 59 quarterbacks from the 2024 season, and Bucs fans will be happy to read it.
Baker Mayfield came in sixth among the 59 quarterbacks who started a game in 2024. His ranking after the 2023 season had him at 11th, so this was a good jump for the now-veteran quarterback.
Nick Shook wrote about Mayfield’s 2024 season saying, “Mayfield’s 2023 renaissance earned him a new contract, but also queued up the doubters who believed he had little chance of replicating such success. . .Boy, were they wrong. Mayfield outdid himself this season, resetting his previous career-highs in passing yards, touchdowns and completion percentage. Those new marks look even more impressive when you consider he produced the bulk of his production without one or both of his top pass-catchers. . .”
Mayfield, coming off a career year, is going to have heightened expectations. He will have a new coordinator for the fourth straight year which may complicate things but not as much as losing Chris Godwin in free agency.
Overcoming obstacles is nothing new for Mayfield, though, or the Bucs. For now, enjoy the rest of the NFL world, recognizing your newfound franchise leader and his success.