Mayfield dons Michigan jersey after fulfilling wager with coach
The Tampa Bay quarterback wore a Wolverines jersey at a media session, honouring a friendly bet with head coach Todd Bowles following the Sooners' Week 2 defeat.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield wore a Michigan Wolverines jersey at a team media session on Wednesday, a gesture that fulfilled a friendly wager with head coach Todd Bowles. The arrangement was triggered by the Oklahoma Sooners' Week 2 defeat to the Michigan Wolverines, a result that forced the former Oklahoma star to honour the terms of the bet.
Under the agreement, Mayfield was required to wear a Michigan jersey to the podium if the Wolverines won, while Bowles would have to wear an Oklahoma jersey should Michigan lose. The personal stakes for the coach were heightened by the presence of his son, Troy Bowles, who is currently a linebacker for the Michigan program.
Mayfield had previously expressed reservations about the prospect, noting that the jersey barely fit him. When asked about the matter last week, the quarterback stated, "Michigan sucks, that's what," reflecting his lingering connection to his former collegiate rival.
The wager comes at a significant moment for Mayfield, who signed a three-year, $165 million contract extension with the Buccaneers last week. The deal carries a $55 million average annual value, placing him in a tie for third among NFL quarterbacks by that metric.
Troy Bowles is in his second season at Michigan after two years with the Georgia Bulldogs. The senior linebacker has logged 21 combined tackles and one fumble recovery through the Wolverines' first two games this season, following a 2025 campaign in which he recorded 27 combined tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble.
Mayfield, a two-time Pro Bowler, is in his fourth season with the Buccaneers and his fourth with Bowles. The team is preparing to host the Cleveland Browns, the franchise that originally selected Mayfield with the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, on Sunday afternoon.
