'One Of The Guys!' Inside Bucs QB Baker Mayfield's 'Tom Brady Takeover'

After signing a one-year, prove it deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season, quarterback Baker Mayfield found his groove while leading the Bucs to an NFC South division title and a playoff win.

Following the season, Mayfield also found a permanent home after being tossed around “like unwanted dirty laundry.”

NFL Insider Pete Prisco of CBS Sports recently detailed why Mayfield was the right replacement for future Hall of Famer Tom Brady in Prisco's appearance on CBS Sports HQ.

"There were actually guys when I was there telling me that they like Mayfield more as a quarterback and as a guy than they did Tom Brady," the writer said. "Tom Brady was tough. He was a little standoffish. Yeah, not as a player, but as a person, yes. Not a bad guy, but they like Baker better.

"His message was that the Bucs roster bonds more with Mayfield than with Brady because Mayfield is more one of the guys."

Related: Should Bucs Trade Chase Edmonds?

Brady is the most decorated quarterback to ever lace up a pair of cleats. His seven Super Bowl championships may never be touched. Brady joined the Bucs in 2020 and with it being right in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, maybe he wasn’t able to bond with his teammates personally.

If you factor in a huge age gap, that could also lend to the problem - if indeed there was a "bonding'' problem, which we've really never sensed.

We will also balk at anybody who says he "likes Baker better as a quarterback'' than Brady''; that's an embarrassing take.

Having said all of that ...

Mayfield signed a three-year, $100 million contract back in the spring with $50 million guaranteed. The former No. 1 overall pick out of Oklahoma finally has an NFL home, and this much is true, irrespective of anything having to do with the GOAT: Mayfield's teammates couldn’t be happier to have him.