Overview
- Mayfield injured his throwing thumb late in Sunday’s 23-16 loss to the Minnesota Vikings after a hit by linebacker Blake Cashman that led to an interception by Andrew Van Ginkel.
- Coach Todd Bowles said X-rays showed no fracture and the team scheduled an MRI for Monday to assess internal damage and a recovery timeline.
- NFL Network reporting and team sources say Mayfield is likely to miss time depending on the MRI results, increasing the chance he will not be available for Week 4 vs. Green Bay.
- Undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels finished the final series and is the only other quarterback on the 53-man roster, so the Buccaneers plan for Daniels to start if Mayfield can’t play while they evaluate veteran depth.
- The injury compounds Tampa Bay’s 0-3 start and follows Mayfield’s recent three-year, $165 million extension, raising questions about short-term roster moves and the team’s ability to salvage the season.