Baker Mayfield injury update: Buccaneers QB dislocated right thumb in loss to Vikings - What we know so far

Baker Mayfield’s difficult season for Tampa Bay Buccaneers was compounded when he suffered an injury to his right thumb towards the end of a 23-16 defeat against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. This happened at a very important point in the fourth quarter while Tampa Bay was struggling to get back into the game.

Mayfield, who has played a major role in the offensive line of Buccaneers, was seen limping on account of a collision when he tried to throw a ball. Head coach Todd Bowles announced that Mayfield had dislocated his thumb of throwing hand,immediately raising concerns as who will lead Tampa Bay’s offense if he is unavailable.

HOW DID BAKER MAYFIELD SUFFER THE INJURY?

Down 20-16, Minnesota received a huge setback when Mayfield got injured towards the end of the fourth quarter. Mayfield was tackled by Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman when he tried to throw the ball while on fourth down. Mayfield’s right hand made contact with Cashman when his pass was intercepted by Andrew Van Ginkel.

Mayfield immediately went down holding his hand before eventually leaving the field with members of Tampa Bay’s training staff. He did not return, with undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels taking over for the Buccaneers’ final possession.

Before leaving the game, Mayfield had completed 17 out of 34 passes for 217 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Tampa Bay eventually lost 23-16, dropping to 0-3 on the season.

WHAT IS THE LATEST ON MAYFIELD’S CONDITION?

There was a good news for Tampa Bay and its fans when initial X-rays did not reveal a fracture. However, Bowles confirmed after the game that Mayfield had suffered a dislocated right thumb and would undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the full extent of the damage. It should provide a much clearer picture of Mayfield’s recovery timeline and whether he will be missing games or not.

Daniels currently appears to be Tampa Bay’s next best option under center. Bowles said the rookie would 'probably' step in if Mayfield cannot play, although that will be decided after the MRI results.

With Tampa Bay still searching for its maiden win of the season, Mayfield’s injury has suddenly become one of the team’s biggest concerns heading into Week 4.