TAMPA, Fla. — Baker Mayfield is active for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ win-and-in season finale against the Carolina Panthers.
Mayfield has been dealing with sore ribs sustained in last week’s 23-13 loss to the New Orleans Saints. He had been listed as questionable on the injury report, but was expected to play with the season on the line.
“He’s full-go. He’ll be ready to go on Sunday,” coach Todd Bowles said earlier this week. “I expect him to be the same as he always was.”
The Buccaneers (8-8) can clinch the NFC South with a win over the NFL-worst Panthers (2-14) and lock up the fourth seed in the NFC playoffs. If Tampa Bay loses it is eliminated from playoff contention and the winner of the Atlanta-New Orleans game will win the division.
Mayfield led Tampa Bay to a 4-1 record in December to rebound from a stretch in which the Bucs lost six of seven games. The Buccaneers have climbed back into contention for what would be a franchise-record fourth consecutive playoff berth.
The sixth-year pro, who’s with his fourth team in three seasons, was injured when Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu hit him after Mayfield released a pass on a 2-point conversion attempt last Sunday.
The quarterback was limited in practice Thursday before being listed as a full participant Friday.
It’s unclear if Mayfield will wear extra padding to protect his midsection on Sunday.
“I’m sure he’ll be protected,” Bowles said. “I don’t know how much.”
The Panthers will be without kicker Eddy Pineiro, who will miss his second straight game with a hamstring injury. Pineiro is the third-most accurate field-goal kicker in NFL history behind only Baltimore’s Justin Tucker and Kansas City’s Harrison Butker.
Matthew Wright has been signed from the practice squad to replace Pineiro.