Baker Mayfield was quick to shoulder the blame after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ season came to an end against Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders .

Entering the fourth quarter, Tampa Bay held a 17-13 lead and in prime position to give itself a comfortable lead in the last period of play. However, at the goal line, the Buccaneers fumbled the ball, which led to Commanders star Terry McLaurin’s touchdown.

In the ensuing drive, rookie center Graham Burton rushed the snap, leading to a stuffed run and a field goal to tie the game. Daniels and the Commanders then drove to make the game-winning field goal, securing its first postseason win since 2005, a momentous occasion for Washington.

After the game, Mayfield immediately took blame for how the game panned out for the Buccaneers, especially with high hopes for an extended playoff run. When speaking on what happened , the star told reporters: “Just some dumb stuff today cost the team. So it’s, yeah, It’s gonna wear on me for a while.”

Despite the unfavorable ending, Mayfield did what he could to help the Buccaneers advance over the Commanders. The 29-year-old battled Daniels, completing 15-of-18 pass attempts for 185 yards and two touchdowns though it was the waning moments that unraveled the team.

And while many could point to various moments in the fourth quarter that played a part in the Bucs’ loss, Mayfield explained that it it was not just one specific play or player that caused them to lose. Additionally, the quarterback felt more disappointed with the loss because of the camaraderie the group built throughout the season.

“It’s never just about one person,” he added. “And that’s what this team, it’s what they embodied. And that’s the most important part. That’s the thing that they can be proud of is that we grew together. Guys helped each other out and stepped up. But it’s never about one person. And unfortunately, I made a few mistakes here with the team today.”

In the end, the loss is one Mayfield will continue to mull over as time goes on. He shared there were moments Tampa Bay could have “capitalized” on but didn’t and congratulated Washington on doing what it needed to win.

With the Buccaneers watching the rest of the playoffs at home, Mayfield surmised that the season was a successful one though only to a point, considering the way the year ended for the ambitious group. “You start the season off with setting your goals as a team, and you start with the division and we did that,” Mayfield said.

“And we had to battle to do it, so that’s one thing to be proud of. But like I said earlier, it’s disappointing because I really believed in this team, I still do. But, obviously, evert year is different, the roster’s gonna look different.

“So that’s the sad part about it, is this group had the makeup to go all the way. And unfortunately, we didn’t bring our best stuff tonight, and Washington did.”