The National Football League today announced that Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield was named a finalist for The Associated Press 2023 Comeback Player of the Year Award. Mayfield, who joined Tampa Bay as a free agent prior to the season, was voted a team captain by his teammates and led the Buccaneers to a club-record third consecutive NFC South division title and a team-record-tying fourth consecutive playoff appearance.
Joining his fourth team in the past two seasons, Mayfield found stability in Tampa Bay as one of nine quarterbacks in the NFL to start all 17 regular season games for a team this season, establishing career highs in completions, passing yards, passing touchdowns and completion percentage. The sixth-year veteran finished the 2023 season completing 364-of-566 passes (64.3%) for 4,044 yards and 28 passing touchdowns compared to 10 interceptions for a passer rating of 94.6.
One of two players to finish the season with 28-or-more passing touchdowns and 10-or-fewer interceptions (also, Dak Prescott), Mayfield ranked among league-leaders in passing touchdowns (seventh), passing yards (ninth), completions (10th) and passer rating (12th). He became the second player in Buccaneers history to throw for 4,000+ yards, 25-or-more touchdowns and 10-or-fewer interceptions in a single season, joining Tom Brady (2022).
Mayfield orchestrated a Buccaneers offense that saw year-over-year increases in points scored, point differential, turnover margin, passing touchdowns, passer rating, net yards per pass attempt, third-down conversion rate, fourth-down conversion rate and time of possession. He led Tampa Bay to victories in five of the team's final six games of the regular season, recording the club's first four-game win streak since the 2021 season. During the streak, Mayfield became the first visiting quarterback in NFL history to post a perfect passer rating (158.3) at Lambeau Field, earning his fourth career Player of the Week honors and becoming the ninth quarterback in team history to receive Player of the Week recognition.
In the postseason, Mayfield was the league's leading passer through the Divisional Round, completing 48-of-77 passes (62.3%) for 686 yards and six touchdowns compared to two interceptions for a passer rating of 106.3. Mayfield's 106.3 passer rating represents the highest postseason mark by a quarterback in franchise history, with his six passing touchdowns ranking second. He became the first quarterback in team history to record a postseason game with 300+ passing yards and three-or-more touchdowns, accomplishing the feat in both playoff contests.
Mayfield and his wife, Emily, launched the Baker and Emily Mayfield Foundation in 2023, providing programs, scholarships, and philanthropic opportunities to help others tackle life's challenges in order to be the best version of themselves. For more information, visit bemayfield.org.
