TAMPA, Fla. -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield said Thursday that he felt "disrespected a little bit" that he and the team could not reach an agreement on a new contract before his imposed deadline of the start of training camp, and that he and his agent were "not presented with an offer that's appealing whatsoever."
He said that all contract discussions would cease until after the 2026 season concludes.
"That's really the disappointing part -- to feel undervalued after thinking you've earned it," said Mayfield, who led the Bucs to back-to-back NFC South titles in 2023 and 2024 before an injury-marred season derailed his and the team's efforts in 2025.
He said even if the Bucs wanted to continue to try to negotiate, he said he won't be speaking to the organization and that, his agent is "not going to be bothering him with it unless he's actually recognized for his value."
"If you've waited this long to take care of your franchise quarterback, that's too bad because it's only going to get worse from here. I'm going to have a really big year," Mayfield said.
Mayfield, 31, got into specifics with ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, saying that the team offered him a two-year deal, which was "probably the most disappointing part," he said. He wanted a long-term commitment. He also felt the guarantees were low on both the initial offer and a second offer.
When asked about being among the top 10 or in the $50-million-per-year club, Mayfield told Fowler he "needed to be put in that category" and the Bucs were "pretty far" from it. He added that he never sought to reset the market and was realistic. He also said that he never considered a holdout or a hold-in.
"It's disappointing," Mayfield said. "I'm not the first one to go through it like this. This is kind of historically how they've done negotiations. It's disappointing when you think you're a cornerstone of the franchise to be treated like that. But disappointing, I know the contract and salary cap, what's going on. Franchise tag isn't exactly in play for them. There'd be a lot of dead money. So it is what it is. And like I said, I'm fortunate, but on the side -- I'm in the best shape I've ever been in, in a really good place."
"This is not a 'poor me' thing. There's a lot other people that have it way worse off, but I can sit here and look at other quarterbacks and peers and evaluate myself based on that and put myself in certain categories that I deserve to be compensated for that," Mayfield said. "And I think I'm a franchise quarterback. I've been told I'm a franchise quarterback. It's been said publicly from ownership down here. And so to not have a deal done is very disappointing. But I said the deadline was a deadline, and I addressed the team to let them know I meant that. It's all ball."
Mayfield also used his chance at the microphone to advocate for the re-signing of Pro Bowl nose tackle Vita Vea, who requested a trade recently after failing to reach a new contract agreement. Vea has been a training camp hold-in and has not been practicing with teammates because of that, in addition to what coach Todd Bowles said was a tweaked back during the team's conditioning test Tuesday.
"He deserves that," Mayfield said. "I mean he's the second-longest tenured Buc behind C.G. [Chris Godwin Jr.] and Vita deserves that. He's the anchor of our defense and so I hope they take care of him."
Vea appeared on the "Up & Adams Show with Kay Adams" on Thursday but was not asked about his trade request.