Raves about Baker Mayfield.
Roughly a year after the best coach in Bucs history, Bucco Bruce Arians, retired for good, the Bucs signed Tom Brady’s successor.
Tom Brady retired. And as famed JoeBucsFan.com columnist Ira Kaufman said after Brady first retired, Team Glazer was now “peering into the abyss.”
It was Baker Mayfield who saved the day. Mayfield has played his best ball of his career with the Bucs and has guided the Bucs this season to a 3-1 record by leading the Bucs to game-winning drives in the final minute of each Bucs’ win this year. Unprecedented.
Appearing on “Up and Adams” today with Kay Adams, seen on FanDuel TV, Arians said Mayfield was the perfect quarterback to pick up where Brady left off.
> “You know, it’s very hard to follow Tom Brady,” Arians, who is currently a special assistant to the general manager with the Bucs, said. “But when you get a guy like Baker and his personality, it’s totally different.
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> “And I think that’s what we needed, and we need now. He’s now the face of the franchise. He’s playing lights out.”
Arians has always been an admirer of Mayfield, dating back to Arians’ pre-Bucs days. Arians said Mayfield’s eff-the-world mentality was just right for the Bucs at just the right time. Mayfield, Arians said, wasn’t going to be rattled by replacing Brady.
Arians raved how Mayfield has galvanized his teammates and the community.
> “You know, every time we get the ball with a minute-something left, I say we’re going to win the game,” Arians said. “I love watching Baker play, and I’m a huge fan of his.”
Joe thought it was cool that Arians still referred to the Bucs as “we.” He still feels involved.