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Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield suffered a rib injury during the Bucs Week 17 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
With Mayfield dealing with a rib injury, what is his status for Tampa Bay's Week 18 game against the Carolina Panthers?
Baker Mayfield's injury update
In the fourth quarter, Saints defender Tyrann Mathieu hit Mayfield directly in his ribs after the quarterback got rid of the ball on the two-point conversion attempt. Following the game, Mayfield was seen walking gingerly to the locker room.
During the press conference on Monday, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said that he expects Mayfield to be fine by Sunday.
“Ribs are sore but he’ll be fine by Sunday,” Bowles said (via Rick Stroud on X).
What happened to Baker Mayfield?
As the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were attempting a two-point conversion to try and get down eight points, Mayfield threw a pass to Chris Godwin in the endzone.
Yet, as Mayfield got rid of the ball, Mathieu hit the quarterback hard to his chest, which didn't surprise Mayfield.
“It was one of those late-scramble plays, last-second throwing the ball to Chris (Godwin), obviously. They’re going to take hits. It's a physical team,” Mayfield said (via ESPN).
The QB added that the X-rays came back negative on his ribs.
When will Baker Mayfield return?
Despite injuring his ribs late in the game against the New Orleans Saints, all signs point to Baker Mayfield playing in Week 18.
Mayfield did struggle against the Saints, as he went 22-for-33 for 309 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions.
Despite Mayfield likely being healthy enough to play in Week 18, Buccaneers offensive lineman Tristan Wirfs admitted that he was annoyed with the late hits by the Saints on his quarterback.
“Yeah I am,” Wirfs told reporters at his locker. “93 (Shepherd) did it first game. Tryann Mathieu did it this game. And he’s chirping at the refs saying he didn’t. But that’s part of football. Bake’s a tough guy, a tough bas***d. I can’t say anything else about it.”
Tampa Bay is set to go on the road to play the Carolina Panthers in Week 18 on Sunday, January 7. Win a win, the Buccaneers can clinch the NFC South.
