Wherever Tom Brady went, greatness followed. The former quarterback became a household name after winning 6 Super Bowl trophies with the Patriots and one championship with Tampa Bay. So when Baker Mayfield had some harsh opinions about the legend, Brady wasn’t going to take it lying down.
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The Buccaneers quarterback claimed that Brady’s presence in the locker room left everyone stressed out. “The building was a little bit different with Tom in there,” Mayfield said on the Casa De Klub podcast.
“Obviously, playing-wise, Tom is different. He had everybody dialed in, high-strung environment, so I think everybody was pretty stressed out,” he continued. And this is apparently what the team wanted Mayfield to fix:
“They wanted me to come in, be myself, bring the joy back to football for guys who weren’t having as much fun.”
During the Tampa Bay vs. Eagle matchup, Brady responded to these comments made by Mayfield, and the rookie color commentator did not hold back! According to Rick Stroud on X, the former MVP began with, “I thought stressful was not having Super Bowl rings.”
Brady also rebutted Mayfield’s claim of a lack of “joy” and “fun” under his leadership. “This wasn’t daycare,” remarked the former Patriots star.
“If I was going to have fun, I was going to Disneyland with my kids,” he further explained, noting that a correct mindset is needed to push teammates and win games.
Brady ended his rant with a cheeky, “It’s still in there. There’s no apologies!”
Tom Brady doesn’t hold back when responding to Baker Mayfield’s claim that it was “stressful,” for players when Brady was in Tampa Bay.
“I thought stressful was not having Super Bowl rings,” Brady said. “This wasn’t daycare…If I was going to have fun, I was going to…— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) September 29, 2024
During his three seasons in Tampa Bay, Brady led the team into the playoffs each year and lifted the Lombardi Trophy in 2020.
That said, while Mayfield doesn’t have fond memories of playing under the legend, Brady’s meeting with old Buccaneers teammates tells a different story.
Prior to Tampa Bay’s game against Philadelphia at Raymond James Stadium, Brady stepped onto the field, reminiscing about the past. The Fox analyst was all smiles, even exchanging a few words with his former teammate and Buccaneers’ center, Robert Hainsey.
Accompanied by his co-hosts, Brady also had another quick chat with former coach and current offensive consultant Tom Moore. The former quarterback then met OC Liam Coen before heading to the booth.
.@TomBrady will always be part of the Krewe pic.twitter.com/PcwdJi0Oyb
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) September 29, 2024
Recently, Mike Evans also spoke about his friendship with his former QB teammate. “It’s crazy that we had the relationship that we did,” said the Tampa Bay wide receiver, as per Fox Sports.
He also praised Brady for his humble attitude and shared how the two were still in contact:
“We were way closer than I expected us to be. He still keeps in touch, even though he’s one of the biggest stars in the world. He’s just a down-to-earth guy. Just seeing who he is outside of football. I got to know his family, his kids.”
While Mayfield holds his opinions, Brady is clearly still a favorite, be it in his time with the New England Patriots or Tampa Bay!
