Baker Mayfield tosses 2 touchdown passes and the Buccaneers beat the 49ers 30-19

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Baker Mayfield shrugged off the “MVP!” chants the way he shook away from tacklers.

Mayfield's heroics came early in the fourth quarter instead of the final minutes as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the San Francisco 49ers 30-19 on Sunday.

Mayfield threw two touchdown passes and had a spectacular scramble to set up the score that sealed the win. Fans serenaded him with “MVP!” chants and many were still hailing Mayfield as they left the stadium.

“It’s Week 6, (we) have a big one next week,” Mayfield said. “It’s awesome to have support. Don’t get me wrong but we’re just getting started.”

After winning four games with scores in the last minute, the four-time defending NFC South champion Buccaneers (5-1) didn’t need a late comeback.

Up 20-19 early in the fourth, the Buccaneers faced a third-and-14 at their 41. Mayfield ducked away from a sack in the pocket, escaped another defender, scrambled out of trouble, eluded more tackles and dove headfirst, stretching the ball to get a first down on third-and-14.

“I was in disbelief like everybody else,” coach Todd Bowles said. “It happens every other week or so that he makes those types of plays an you just pray he doesn't get hurt or anything happens to him but he has a knack. He has a knack that you can't teach or coach. It was an unbelievable play.”

Told he looked like Michael Vick on the play, Mayfield said: “I can’t do what Mike Vick ever did."

A few plays later, Mayfield connected with Tez Johnson on a 45-yard TD pass down the middle to give the 49ers a 27-19 lead. Johnson made an outstretched leaping catch and the rookie celebrated his first career TD with an acrobatic flip.

The 49ers were driving for a potential tying score when Mac Jones threw an interception to Jamel Dean on fourth-and-5 from the Buccaneers 33 with just under six minutes left.

The turnover led to Chase McLaughlin's 45-yard field goal that extended the lead to 30-19.

Playing through knee and oblique injuries, Jones threw for 347 yards with two picks, losing for the first time in four starts filling in for Brock Purdy.

“Obviously didn't play my best,” Jones said. “I'm proud we went out there and fought. I just want to go out there and practice and see what I can do better.”

The injury-riddled 49ers (4-2) lost four-time All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner to a serious right ankle injury in the first quarter. Warner’s ankle appeared to turn sideways after a couple of players fell into him. Coach Kyle Shanahan said Warner's ankle was broken and dislocated and that he will need season-ending surgery.

Everyone on the 49ers bench came onto the field to see Warner before he left the field with an air cast on his ankle.

“It's just heartbreaking,” Christian McCaffrey said.

San Francisco already was missing star edge rusher Nick Bosa, All-Pro tight end George Kittle, and wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Ricky Pearsall, along with Purdy and others. Wideout Jauan Jennings played with an ankle sprain and five broken ribs.

The Buccaneers, who were missing star receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and running back Bucky Irving, lost rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka to a hamstring injury in the second half.

Mayfield — who finished 17 of 23 for 256 yards — connected with a wide-open Kameron Johnson for a 34-yard TD to extend Tampa Bay’s lead to 20-13 late in the first half. It was Johnson’s first career reception. The Bucs went for the 2-point conversion following a roughing-the-passer penalty on the scoring pass but Rachaad White was stopped on a run.

Sean Tucker’s 9-yard TD run put the Buccaneers ahead 14-10 in the second quarter. Mayfield connected with Egbuka for 17 yards and Cade Otton for 23 on consecutive plays during the drive.

McCaffrey ran in from the 1 to give the 49ers a 10-7 lead. It was San Francisco’s first rushing TD of the season on the team’s 148th carry.

Kindle Vildor set up Tampa Bay’s first score with an interception at the 49ers 25 that could have been a pick-6, but he stumbled twice before getting tackled at the 12.

White ran in from the 2 to put the Buccaneers up 7-0.

The Niners' Eddy Pineiro kicked field goals of 52, 54, 42 and 29 yards.

McCaffrey had 54 yards rushing on 17 carries and seven catches for 57 yards. He entered the game on pace for 133 receptions.

49ers: Purdy (toe) missed his fourth game and Pearsall (knee) sat out his second in a row.

Buccaneers: Evans (hamstring), Godwin (fibula), RBs Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder) and Josh Williams (concussion), CBs Benjamin Morrison (hamstring) and Zyon McCollum (thumb) were inactive. ... Egbuka had two catches for 24 yards before going down. ... RG Luke Haggard (shoulder) left in the fourth quarter.

49ers: Host the Atlanta Falcons next Sunday night.

Buccaneers: Visit the Detroit Lions next Monday night.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) rolls out against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half of an NFL football game in Tampa, Fla., Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones (10) passes the ball over Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Anthony Nelson, bottom, during the first half of an NFL football game in Tampa, Fla., Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Kameron Johnson, right, celebrates after scoring past San Francisco 49ers safety Malik Mustapha (6) during the first half of an NFL football game in Tampa, Fla., Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Sean Tucker (44) runs for a touchdown past San Francisco 49ers safety Malik Mustapha (6) during the first half of an NFL football game in Tampa, Fla., Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White (1) is congratulated by quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) after scoring against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half of an NFL football game in Tampa, Fla., Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Federal immigration authorities will expand their enforcement action in North Carolina to Raleigh as soon as Tuesday, the mayor of the state’s capital city said, while Customs and Border Protection agents continue operating in Charlotte following a weekend that saw arrests of 130 people in that city.

Mayor Janet Cowell said she didn’t know how large the operation would be or how long agents would be present. Immigration authorities haven’t spoken about it. The Democrat said in a statement that crime was lower in Raleigh this year compared to last and that public safety was a priority for her and the city council.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The political reasoning seemed obvious when the Trump administration launched immigration crackdowns in Los Angeles and Chicago.

Both are deep blue cities in deep blue states run by nationally prominent officials who make no secret of their anger at the White House.

But Charlotte, North Carolina? Why send the Border Patrol to that city?

Sure the mayor is a Democrat, as is the governor, but neither is known for wading into national political battles. In a state where divided government has become the norm, Gov. Josh Stein in particular has tried hard to get along with the GOP-controlled state legislature. The state's two U.S. senators are both Republican and President Donald Trump won the state in the last three presidential elections.

The Department of Homeland Security has said it is focusing on North Carolina because of so-called sanctuary policies, which limit cooperation between local authorities and immigration agents.

But maybe focusing on a place where politics is less outwardly bloody was part of the equation.

The White House “can have enough opposition (to its crackdown), but it's a weaker version" than what it faced in places like Chicago, said Rick Su, a professor at the University of North Carolina School of Law who studies local government, immigration and federalism.

“They’re not interested in just deporting people. They’re interested in the show,” he said.

U.S. immigration agents arrested more than 130 people over the weekend in a sweep through North Carolina’s largest city, a federal official said Monday.

The Trump administration has made Charlotte, a Democratic city of about 950,000 people, its latest focus for an immigration enforcement surge it says will combat crime — despite local opposition and declining crime rates. Residents reported encounters with immigration agents near churches, apartment complexes and stores.

Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement that Border Patrol officers had arrested “over 130 illegal aliens who have all broken” immigration laws. The agency said the records of those arrested included gang membership, aggravated assault, shoplifting and other crimes, but it did not say how many cases had resulted in convictions, how many people had been facing charges or any other details.

The crackdown set off fierce objections from area leaders.

“We’ve seen masked, heavily armed agents in paramilitary garb driving unmarked cars, targeting American citizens based on their skin color,” Stein said in a video statement late Sunday. “This is not making us safer. It’s stoking fear and dividing our community.”

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles said Monday she was “deeply concerned” about videos she’s seen of the crackdown but also said she appreciates protesters’ peacefulness.

“To everyone in Charlotte who is feeling anxious or fearful: You are not alone. Your city stands with you,” she said in a statement.

Charlotte and surrounding Mecklenburg County have both found themselves part of America’s debates over crime and immigration, two of the most important issues to the White House.

The most prominent was the fatal stabbing this summer of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light-rail train, an attack captured on video. While the suspect was from the U.S., the Trump administration repeatedly highlighted that he had been arrested previously more than a dozen times.

Charlotte, which had a Republican mayor as recently as 2009, is now a city dominated by Democrats, with a growing population brought by a booming economy. The racially diverse city includes more than 150,000 foreign-born residents, officials say.

Lyles easily won a fifth term as mayor earlier this month, defeating her Republican rival by 45 percentage points even as GOP critics blasted city and state leaders for what they call rising incidents of crime. Following the Nov. 4 election, Democrats are poised to hold 10 of the other 11 seats on the city council.

While the Department of Homeland Security has said it is focusing on the state because of sanctuary policies, North Carolina county jails have long honored “detainers,” or requests from federal officials to hold an arrested immigrant for a limited time so agents can take custody of them. Nevertheless, some common, noncooperation policies have existed in a handful of places, including Charlotte, where the police do not help with immigration enforcement.

In Mecklenburg County, the jail did not honor detainer requests for several years, until after state law effectively made it mandatory starting last year.

DHS said about 1,400 detainers across North Carolina had not been honored since October 2020, putting the public at risk.

For years, Mecklenburg Sheriff Garry McFadden pushed back against efforts by the Republican-controlled state legislature to force him and a handful of sheriffs from other urban counties to accept ICE detainers.

Republicans ultimately overrode a veto by then-Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper late last year to enact the bill into law.

While McFadden has said his office is complying with the law’s requirement, he continued a public feud with ICE leaders in early 2025 that led to a new state law toughening those rules. Stein vetoed that measure, but the veto was overridden.

Republican House Speaker Destin Hall said in a Monday post on X that immigration agents are in Charlotte because of McFadden’s past inaction: “They’re stepping in to clean up his mess and restore safety to the city.”

Last month, McFadden said he'd had a productive meeting with an ICE representative.

“I made it clear that I do not want to stop ICE from doing their job, but I do want them to do it safely, responsibly, and with proper coordination by notifying our agency ahead of time,” McFadden said in a statement.

But such talk doesn't calm the political waters.

“Democrats at all levels are choosing to protect criminal illegals over North Carolina citizens,” state GOP Chairman Jason Simmons said Monday.

Sullivan reported from Minneapolis and Robertson from Raleigh, North Carolina. Associated Press writers Brian Witte in Annapolis, Maryland and Rebecca Santana in Washington contributed to this report.

U.S. Border Patrol Commander at large Gregory Bovino takes a phone call, Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)

A sign reading 'ICE is not welcome here' is displayed outside of store front amidst federal law enforcement presence, Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)

Protestors set up outside of Manolo's Bakery amidst federal law enforcement, Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)

A sign of support is posted outside of Manolo's bakery which is closed amidst federal law enforcement presence, Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)

Manuel 'Manolo' Betancur sits outside of his bakery which is closed amidst federal law enforcement presence, Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)

Shana Blake sits in a cage dressed as the Statue of Liberty to protest federal law enforcement presence in Charlotte, N.C. Monday, Nov. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)

People protest against federal immigration enforcement Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)

People protest against federal immigration enforcement Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)