{
  "id": 10800901,
  "title": "Bruce Arians has strong message for Mayfield",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/bruce-arians-has-strong-message-for-mayfield",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-29T22:45:22.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/bruce-arians-strong-message-mayfield-224522952.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are currently facing a challenging start to the 2026 season, having lost their first three games. They could potentially end up with a winless record in the near future. The team will host the Green Bay Packers in Week 4 before facing the Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Carolina Panthers. The situation has been compounded by the injury of quarterback Baker Mayfield, who is sidelined for at least three weeks due to a thumb injury sustained during a Week 3 game against the Minnesota Vikings. Mayfield was injured while attempting to prolong a play on Tampa Bay's second-to-last offensive drive, resulting in a hit that caused the injury.\n\nBruce Arians, who previously led the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl victory as head coach in 2020, delivered a strong message to Mayfield during an appearance on Kay Adams' Up and Adams Show. Arians emphasized that Mayfield must stop making plays that were there, stating, \"Not making the plays that were there.\" He explained that while the offensive line is one of the best in the league, Mayfield must learn to throw the ball away more often. Arians acknowledged that this is not Mayfield's nature, but it is a critical factor in preventing injuries. He expressed his hope that Mayfield would return to the field, emphasizing that the team needs him.\n\nMayfield made the decision to extend the Buccaneers' drive in a fourth-down situation, which ultimately led to his injury. Arians pointed out that Mayfield's habit of overextending on plays leaves him vulnerable to big hits from opposing defenders. This issue has been a recurring problem for Mayfield, leading to his current injury. As a result, the Buccaneers will rely on undrafted free agent Jalon Daniels to fill in for Mayfield during his absence.",
  "summary": "Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians has a strong message for Baker Mayfield after his thumb injury.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}