Baker Mayfield has been written off more times than almost any quarterback of his generation. Cut by the Browns, discarded by the Panthers, benched for a rookie in Carolina, he rebuilt his career in Tampa Bay and turned it into the largest contract in Buccaneers history. Then, five days after signing that deal, he dislocated his thumb. The highs and lows never stop. Here’s everything you need to know about the man behind the comeback.
Age, Height, and Background
Baker Mayfield was born on April 14, 1995, in Austin, Texas. He is 31 years old.
He stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 215 pounds. Mayfield grew up in Austin with his parents, James and Gina, and two brothers. His father played football at the University of Houston, and the Mayfield household was built around sports.
Mayfield attended Lake Travis High School in Austin, where he led the Cavaliers to a 25-2 record and the 2011 Texas 4A state championship.
Wife: Emily Mayfield
Baker Mayfield married Emily Wilkinson in 2019. Emily, a social media influencer with more than 236,000 Instagram followers, has been by his side through every twist of his career.
The couple welcomed their first child, daughter Kova, in April 2024. Their son, Maverick, was born in April 2026. Mayfield has spoken openly about how fatherhood reshaped his perspective, particularly when it came to repairing his relationship with his own family.
The Family Feud and Reconciliation
In 2024, Mayfield and Emily sued his father’s company, alleging that $12 million had moved from their accounts into businesses connected to his father James and brother Matt between 2018 and 2021. The parties had reached a confidential settlement requiring repayment of $11.741 million plus interest, but the Mayfields later claimed the agreement wasn’t fulfilled.
The federal case was voluntarily dismissed in March 2025. By August 2026, Mayfield had reconnected with his family. He brought Kova to meet his relatives around her first birthday, and he described the reunion as emotional.
“In the past few months, I’ve been reconnected with my family,” Mayfield said. “It’s been good.” He added: “You can’t put yourself on a pedestal and act like I haven’t made mistakes in my life. I had the ability to forgive and that was what I wanted to get across.”
College Career: Walk-On to Heisman Winner
Mayfield’s college journey is one of the most remarkable in football history. He began as a walk-on at Texas Tech in 2013, won the starting job, and earned Big 12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year honors before transferring to Oklahoma.
At Oklahoma, he became a legend. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2017, becoming the first walk-on player ever to do so. He threw for 12,292 career yards and 131 touchdowns at Oklahoma, ranking second in school history in both categories. He was named the Walter Camp, Associated Press, and Sporting News Player of the Year, and won the Maxwell, Davey O’Brien, Manning, and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose awards.
NFL Career: From No. 1 Pick to Comeback King
Cleveland Browns: Mayfield was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He set a rookie record with 27 touchdown passes and led the Browns to the playoffs in 2020, their first postseason appearance in nearly two decades. But injuries and inconsistency led to his departure after the 2021 season.
Carolina and Los Angeles: Mayfield spent a disastrous 2022 season split between the Panthers and Rams. He went 1-5 as a starter in Carolina before being released, then finished the year with the Rams.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Mayfield signed with Tampa Bay in 2023 and resurrected his career. He earned Pro Bowl selections in 2023 and 2024, throwing for 4,044 yards in his first season and a career-high 4,500 yards with 41 touchdowns in 2024. In 2025, he threw for 3,693 yards and 26 touchdowns despite injuries that derailed Tampa Bay’s season.
Contract and Net Worth
In September 2026, Mayfield signed a three-year, $165 million extension with the Buccaneers, the largest contract in franchise history. The deal carries an average annual value of $55 million, tied for third-highest among NFL quarterbacks.
Mayfield’s net worth is estimated between $40 million and $60 million. He has $131,760,454 in career earnings entering the 2026 season. His endorsement portfolio has included Nissan, Popeyes, Uber Eats, Hulu, and Every Man Jack, with his “Wake Up Feeling Dangerous” campaign launching in September 2026.
The 2026 Injury
Five days after signing his extension, Mayfield dislocated his right thumb in a Week 3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. An MRI revealed no ligament or tendon damage, and he will miss a minimum of three weeks. Undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels will start in his absence.
The Bottom Line
Baker Mayfield is 31 years old, a father of two, a Heisman winner, a former No. 1 pick, and now one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in football. He’s been cut, benched, and written off. He’s also been forgiven, rebuilt, and rewarded. The thumb injury is just the latest obstacle in a career defined by refusing to stay down.
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