When Tom Brady announced his retirement for good in 2023, the outlook was not encouraging for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But Baker Mayfield made such an immediate impact that everyone seems to forget about that.

“It’s always fun to be counted out,” said Mayfield, via the league’s website. “Obviously, I’m pretty comfortable in it, but our team has completely embraced that. There’s something about whether it’s you’re an underdog or a road game, just having your backs against the wall and knowing it’s just your team versus everybody else when you’re counted out, and it’s always fun to be in that role.”

After years of struggling to establish himself as a starting quarterback in the NFL, Mayfield made sure to prove his doubters wrong this season. Now, he’s the face of a Buccaneers team that has just pulled off an upset against the Eagles and hopes to go even further in the playoffs.

Bucs and Mayfield make a great match

With Brady leaving Tampa Bay after three wonderful years, the Bucs didn’t have many options. While their cap space wasn’t big enough to afford an expensive contract, they also lacked trade assets to land a big-name quarterback.

Mayfield in action for the Bucs

In that context, Mayfield meant an interesting opportunity. A free agent following a short stint with the Los Angeles Rams in 2022, the 2018 first-overall pick had bounced around the league without much success. However, he was still young enough for the Bucs to believe in his ability to get back to his best.

At 27, he was younger than other signal-callers with experience who were also in the open market. His salary wasn’t going to be a problem either, so the Bucs ultimately decided to give it a try. Now it’s safe to say they made the right decision.

Mayfield got off to a fantastic start in Tampa Bay, posting career-high numbers in passing yards (4,044), touchdowns (28), and completion percentage (64.3) for a 65.5 QBR (also the highest in his career).

His strong play saw the Bucs win the NFC South to secure home-field advantage for the Wild Card round, where they upset the Eagles. Mayfield now has another challenge upfront with his team playing the Lions in Detroit, but regardless of the outcome, he’s already exceeded expectations in the Bucs’ first year without Brady.