Jason Licht didn’t tiptoe around the comparison.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager made it clear he sees one major difference between Baker Mayfield and Tom Brady: Mayfield is easier for teammates to connect with. Speaking with The Athletic’s Zak Keefer, Licht said the current Bucs quarterback has a quality that helped him settle in quickly.
“I would never throw shade on Tom because I like my ring too much, but Baker is just more... relatable," Licht admitted.
“He fits us because he came to a place where (head coach Todd Bowles) and the GM said, ‘Hey, be you,'" Licht added on Mayfield.
That point was backed up by tackle Tristan Wirfs, who described a quarterback who is far more willing to spend time with the guys around him. Wirfs said Brady didn’t really do that because of the stage of his career and life, while Mayfield jumped right in.
“Tom really didn’t do anything with us, because he couldn’t. Like, he couldn’t even go to dinner,” Wirfs said.
“Then Baker comes in and, the first day he’s here he asks me if I wanna grab a beer that night. I’m like, ‘This is sick!'”
Keefer also noted that Mayfield plays video games with teammates as another way he hangs around the locker room.
Brady, of course, was likely more approachable earlier in his career before fame and family changed the equation. But the larger point here is obvious enough: relatability matters, just not as much as winning. Brady may not have been the easiest quarterback to hang out with, but he still brought a Super Bowl to Tampa Bay.
Mayfield’s own future with the Buccaneers is less settled. The two sides have not been able to work out a contract extension, even with Tampa Bay clearly valuing what he brings.
He’s entering the final year of his deal and is set to reach free agency in 2027 if nothing changes.
Mayfield has already made his frustration public, saying he felt “disrespected a little bit.”
"That's really the disappointing part -- to feel undervalued after thinking you've earned it," Mayfield said.
"If you've waited this long to take care of your franchise quarterback, that's too bad because it's only going to get worse from here. I'm going to have a really big year," Mayfield added.
And if he does hit the market, there’s little doubt teams will come calling. Good starting quarterbacks are hard to find, and Mayfield is one of them. That kind of player almost always has a line of suitors waiting.
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Now Tampa Bay has to watch him continue his rookie season in Kansas City after the Chiefs claimed him off waivers. For a Bucs team always looking for affordable pass-rush help, it is the kind of move that can linger a little longer than a typical roster decision, especially when a young edge rusher already showed he could make disruptive plays against NFL competition. [Read more 🡒]
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For Tampa Bay, the appeal is not just that the division looks softer, but that the ingredients for a rebound are all in place at once. Mayfields motivation matters, the teams overall health matters, and the fresh talent around him matters too, especially for a group trying to turn last seasons momentum into something more durable. The question now is whether those pieces come together quickly enough to make the Buccaneers the team everyone else in the South is chasing. [Read more 🡒]
Bowles Sends Clear Message As Mayfield Pressure Builds In Tampa
Todd Bowles is trying to keep the focus where the Buccaneers want it, on football, even as Baker Mayfields contract situation continues to hover in the background. The head coach made it clear he believes Mayfield can still play at his best this season, a show of confidence that matters in Tampa because the quarterback is now operating with a new offensive coordinator in Zac Robinson, whose system is expected to suit him well.
Jason Licht has also signaled that the team will respect the deadline tied to the contract talks, but the larger priority remains getting ready for the start of the season. For Mayfield, the pressure is part of the job at this point, and for the Bucs it is about balancing the business side with the hope that continuity on offense can keep him settled when the games begin. [Read more 🡒]