Buccaneers RB draws unique parallel between Baker Mayfield and Tom Brady
Buccaneers running back Rachaad White has identified what he thinks is the common factor between Tom Brady and Baker Mayfield. Both quarterbacks came to Tampa Bay for similar reasons. The GOAT wanted to show he was good enough to win without Bill Belichick and established it with his seventh Super Bowl ring. And the former Browns quarterback was ready to show he still deserved a starting spot in the NFL. He achieved his aim too.
And Rachaad White told Rich Eisen, that this chip on their shoulder that these quarterbacks have to prove their critics wrong is something that he sees in both. He said,
"I thought Baker brought is just his charisma, his hungriness, his chip, his attitude, his demeanor everything about him what we love, man."
This is extremely high praise for Baker Mayfield from a man who saw first-hand just how good Tom Brady could be. Rachaad White's first-ever touchdown reception came in a comeback victory against the New Orleans Saints from 13 points down with three seconds left.
The running back pointed to the motivation Baker Mayfield brings and said that it was similar to what he saw with the GOAT, commenting,
"When it comes to quarterback, I look at just more the stats. I hadn't played with no other quarterbacks besides TB [Tom Brady] and obviously I'm going at war with TB too, with Tom Brady. When Baker come in he bought that. What he did is helped the team and helped us buy in to what he had and his vision."
Todd Bowles knows why Baker Mayfield has excelled in following Tom Brady
Ask the New England Patriots fans and they will tell you it is not easy to follow in the footsteps of the GOAT. Mac Jones, a college champion, tried it and failed. Cam Newton, a former MVP, could not do it either. But Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles knows why Baker Mayfield has done well, revealing to the team website,
"He did what he always does – he was himself. He wasn't trying to be Tom. We didn't have the same team that we had with Tom. We have completely different guys, for the most part... He was in a lose-lose [situation] from a fan-ballot standpoint to begin with and he didn't try to win the fan ballot. He just put his head down and he worked and he won the team over, which is what was great about it."
Whether it's Rachaad White saying it or Todd Bowles, it is clear that Baker Mayfield has succeeded in succeeding Tom Brady.