Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield left Sunday’s Week 12 game against the Los Angeles Rams and watched the second half with a sling on his left arm after he appeared to injure his shoulder twice.
Mayfield was replaced by backup Teddy Bridgewater to begin the third quarter. When Mayfield did return to the sideline, he wore street clothes and a protective sling.
Mayfield had his left shoulder checked in the second quarter after he took a hard hit on a scramble, and he grimaced later in the drive after he threw a touchdown pass to Tez Johnson. He walked to a medical tent not moving his left arm.
After his left shoulder was checked between drives, Mayfield wound up to throw as far as he could on the final play before halftime, but after he threw an interception, he immediately reached for the same shoulder and was helped off the field.
Mayfield had endured a brutal first half as Tampa fell behind 31-7, completing nine of his 19 passes for 41 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. He also was sacked twice.
A 5-1 start to the season, including four comebacks, put Mayfield into the conversation for the NFL’s most valuable player in October, as he produced 12 touchdown passes against just one interception. But the Buccaneers then lost three of their next four games to fall to 6-4 entering Sunday’s matchup with the Rams.
