Baker Mayfield Signs A $165 Million Extension with Bucs & Rays' Magic Number Drops to 15

Baker Mayfield Signs A $165 Million Extension with Bucs & Rays' Magic Number Drops to 15

Author: Tampa Bay Times September 9, 2026 Duration: 33:10

Baker Mayfield just got paid — Rick Stroud and Steve Versnick break down every angle of his stunning new deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.


Five days before kickoff in Cincinnati, the quarterback who swore he was done negotiating got a call from the Bucs' front office and agreed to a three-year, $165 million extension through 2029 that lands him right in the Stafford-Lawrence-Allen tier of starting quarterbacks. Rick and Steve unpack how the deal is structured, why cooler heads prevailed after Baker's training-camp "disrespectful offer" comments, and why the real pressure starts now — Baker has just one playoff win as a Buc, and it's time for the wins to start piling up if he wants to be remembered for more than the paycheck.


Then it's over to the Rays, who took game one in Atlanta 7-1 behind a strong start from Freddy Peralta and a monster night from the lineup: Junior Caminero's AL-leading 39th home run (in his literal hometown), Chandler Simpson's 40th stolen base, and homers from Yandy Diaz, Richie Palacios and Liam Hicks. Tampa Bay's magic number is down to 15 with an 18-games to play with a four-game lead over the Yankees, even as Taylor Walls heads to the IL. Plus: the NFL season finally kicks off tonight with a rematch of last year's Super Bowl, LSU's wild standoff with the SEC over roster rules, and Jameis Winston's new (and very self-aware) commercial.


In this episode:


  • Baker Mayfield's 3-year, $165M extension — deal structure, market comparisons, and what it means going forward
  • Why Rick says the winning has to start now for Baker
  • Rays 7-1 win over the Braves: Caminero's homecoming homer, Simpson's 40-steal milestone, Peralta's hot streak
  • Tampa Bay's magic number, AL East lead, and where the Rays rank across MLB
  • Taylor Walls to the IL, and how the Jorge Mateo pickup is paying off
  • NFL Kickoff Night: Patriots-Seahawks preview
  • LSU vs. the SEC: fallout from a wild roster showdown
  • Jameis Winston's DoorDash ad and his broadcasting future


#TampaBayBucs #BakerMayfield #TampaBayRays #NFL #MLB


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For a daily dose of Tampa Bay sports talk that feels like a conversation with the most plugged-in friends you have, there's Sports Day Tampa Bay. This weekday podcast from the Tampa Bay Times is anchored by award-winning journalist Rick Stroud and co-host Steve Versnick, who bring a newsroom's rigor and a fan's passion to each episode. Instead of just rehashing scores, they dig into the nuances behind them-the strategy shaping the Buccaneers' defense, the roster decisions facing the Rays front office, or the playoff mentality driving the Lightning. The discussion naturally spans the full spectrum of local teams, including USF athletics, providing context that often gets lost in quick headlines. What you'll hear is analysis grounded in decades of institutional knowledge and reporting access, offering a perspective that turns the day's news into a deeper understanding of the games and the people who play them. Tune in each morning for this essential, insider-focused update that has become a routine for fans who want more than the highlight reel.
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