‘We don’t want Tom Brady’ – Buccaneers completely changed Baker Mayfield’s career with just a few words
Bowles recently replayed Tampa Bay’s message to Baker Mayfield when they first brought him on board in 2023.
Baker Mayfield has gone from castoff to one of the better quarterbacks in the league thanks to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ decision to give him a shot back in 2023.
Per the usual with hindsight, it’s intriguing to look back and remind ourselves where both sides were at that moment in time. The Bucs just watched Tom Brady officially retire (for the second time) after an 8-9 season that resulted in an NFC South title and one-and-done playoff appearance. Mayfield, on the other hand, just finished a complex 2022 season that saw him find some footing with Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams during the back half of the year.
The Buccaneers needed a starting quarterback and Mayfield needed a new home. Mayfield’s always been an uber-confident guy, but how would he feel about following literally the greatest quarterback to every play the game? A quarterback who had also just brought Tampa Bay its second Super Bowl championship just three seasons prior?
Plus, there were still questions surrounding Mayfield’s maturity, at the time. But, Todd Bowles and Jason Licht knew exactly what to say and their messaged has been a driving force behind Mayfield’s resurgence.
The Bucs wanted Baker Mayfield to be himself
Bowles went on The Rich Eisen Show Tuesday and reminded everyone of what he and Licht told Mayfield during free agency. The Bucs have talked about this publicly before, but it’s worth a reminder as we head into a year where Mayfield could earn a fat contract in 2027 if all goes well.
“The first day me [and] Jason, we all told him the same thing: We didn’t want him to be Tom Brady, we wanted him to be Baker Mayfield,” said Bowles. “I’m not asking you to be Tom Brady, I’m asking you to be Baker Mayfield. We don’t want Tom [Brady], we want Baker Mayfield [because] they’re different players…
“… I think we found each other at the right time. He’s the right fit for this team, but mentally, he is so sharp at reading the room, as far as understanding what the defense needs, what the offense needs, spending time with players, whether [it’s] sitting down at lunch, giving them advice, hanging out with them later on. (He’s) hanging out with the offensive line (and) he runs with the linebackers. He does a great job of keeping everybody in sync while he learns the game plan.”
Bowles later confirmed that was the first time anyone associated with football told Mayfield to be himself. It obviously struck a chord with him, as he’s developed into one of the team’s top leaders and voices.
Sometimes, all a player needs is legit validation and that’s what the Bucs did for Mayfield. It’s not coddling or anything like that. When done correctly, it can be the key to unlock a player’s true potential and that’s exaclty what we’re seeing with Mayfield and the Buccaneers.
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