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Adam Schefter, ESPN Senior Writer
Baker Mayfield has $1 million riding on whether the Tampa Bay Buccaneers can win the NFC South.
Mayfield’s contract contains $4.5 million worth of incentives, including a $1 million bonus for winning the NFC South, which the first-place Buccaneers are in position to do entering Sunday’s game against the Jaguars.
Mayfield already has qualified for $1 million worth of playing time incentives and can make up to $1.5 million in performance incentives before having a chance to earn another $1 million if Tampa Bay advances to the postseason.
It has been a good contract so far — with potentially more to come — for both the organization and Mayfield, who has made quite the mark on the Buccaneers in only one season, according to people around the team. The players in the locker room have responded to and rallied around the six-year veteran quarterback.
The Bucs players are said to “love” playing with Mayfield, just like they did with Tom Brady.
But Brady was looked at as an icon while Mayfield is more relatable to his teammates, and is said to have won over the locker room, which will enhance the chances that the former No. 1 overall draft selection returns to Tampa Bay.
Given how the Buccaneers have responded to him both on and off the field, Mayfield is vying for a contract extension that would keep him in Tampa Bay and allow him to stay with the players who have grown to like him so much. Mayfield, 28, has completed 63.5% of his passes for 3,315 yards, 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
The Buccaneers, who close the regular season with a Week 17 home game against the Saints followed by a road game against the Panthers, will win their third consecutive NFC South title if they win all three of their remaining games.
What makes the the Bucs’ standing even more impressive is that they are carrying an NFL-high $81 million in dead money against their salary cap this season, $35.1 million of which is due to Brady.