Buccaneers' star quarterback Baker Mayfield has received some help from an unexpected source. According to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, the Tampa Bay Rays have helped create a special glove for Mayfield to use while he continues to recover from a dislocated thumb injury he suffered in the team's week three loss to the Minnesota Vikings at the end of the game.
The glove was made by the Rays clubhouse attendant, Nick Bond, and was made with multiple versions in mind, depending on what fits best for Mayfield.
The injury Mayfield suffered was to his throwing hand, and he will look to retain a good grip on the ball going forward in both throwing and scrambling situations. Mayfield himself was a fan of the glove and said that it felt good when used:
“(It’s) not restricting because it’s on the backside. ... For me, just getting used to it. I don’t feel the difference. It’s just like me wearing a glove.” Mayfield said when asked about how using the glove helps him.
For the past three games, Mayfield has sat on the bench while backup quarterback Jalon Daniels has started in his place. Daniels has done decently in relief, posting 501 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, five interceptions, and 126 rushing yards in three total starts.
However, the offense will have a different dynamic with Mayfield in once more at quarterback than Daniels and should open up more of what the team is able to do.
Mayfield will have a good amount of improvement in return from his injury, as he was struggling to begin the 2026 season before he went down. Fresh off a $55 million-per-year extension that saw the Bucs commit to Mayfield as their guy for the foreseeable future, Mayfield posted 615 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, two interceptions, 65 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, and a handful of fumbles lost in three starts.
Now, Mayfield will look to drag the Bucs out of a brutal 1- 5 situation where the team has many more questions than answers. Time will tell whether the Buccaneers are able to regain some of their form with Mayfield out there, or if the team continues to regress and we simply look forward to a pretty rough season coming to an end for this team.
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