August 23, the Bucs and Dolphins preseason finale made headlines when Baker Mayfield lifted his 4½-month-old baby girl, Kova Jade, and gave her a sweet kiss on the forehead. She was even dressed up like her famous quarterback dad. But that wasn’t the only thing people were talking about after the game. Some post-game conversations caught attention too, especially when Mayfield was compared to Tom Brady.

As per Tampa Bay Times, left tackle Tristan Wirfs, who’s Mayfield’s best friend on the team, praised him, comparing him to the legendary Brady. “We couldn’t hang out with Tom. I mean, me and Hainsey didn’t go to dinner with him. It’s no knock on Tom, it’s just that he’s a celebrity and a superstar.” He added, “Just being able to hang out with Baker outside the facility and do things together, for us, it was something we didn’t have before and we were like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is awesome. This is fun,” emphasizing how Baker has changed a lot of things for the team.

Even though Tom is an incredible player with seven Super Bowl wins and is one of the few quarterbacks to win with more than one team, including the Buccaneers, everyone on the team loves and supports him. But despite helping them secure a Super Bowl title, he wasn’t always the easiest person to be around. It turns out that during the final part of his legendary career; he was going through a tough divorce, which affected his performance on the field and his life off it.

After Tom Brady’s retirement, Mayfield signed a one-year “prove it” contract with the Buccaneers in March 2023 to revive his career. He’s already won over his teammates, and even NFL insider Pete Prisco of CBS Sports noticed it during a training camp visit with the Bucs. Prisco said, “Tom Brady was tough. He was a little standoffish. Not as a player, but as a person, yes. Not a bad guy, [but] they like [Baker] better.” While both are amazing players, Mayfield is just more fun to be around.

Even though the team loves him, replacing Brady is tough. And Mayfield had an average career before joining the Bucs. When Baker was brought in, everyone wondered if he could fill Brady’s space. Especially after hopping around between teams like the Cleveland Browns, Carolina Panthers, and Los Angeles Rams.

Is QB Baker Mayfield a perfect replacement for Brady?

For a long time, the team tried to convince everyone that Baker Mayfield was the ideal replacement for Brady. And he proved them right by leading Tampa Bay to a division title and a home playoff win. In March 2024, Baker signed a 3-year contract, with $30 million guaranteed, solidifying his place in Bucs.

After the Buccaneers defeated the Dolphins 24-14, in the preseason finale, head coach Todd Bowles praised Baker Mayfield. “The league humbles you, and you mature, and he sees things the right way,” Bowles said. “But sometimes you’re just in the wrong system. It wasn’t all his fault. It was a mix of everybody. I saw the system we had in place, and I knew he could be himself.” It looks like this new setup brought out the best in him.

But saying he’ll replace Brady is tough—they’re both great in their ways. And with an 18-year age gap, they approach the game and life differently. And it goes without saying, Mayfield so far hasn’t accumulated enough experience to call him a replacement of the GOAT himself.