The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are looking to establish themselves as dark-horse contenders for this season’s Super Bowl championship. They won close games against the Atlanta Falcons and Houston Texans to start 2-0, and quarterback Baker Mayfield is once again playing fine football.
If nothing else, the Buccaneers should end up finishing first in the NFC South for the fifth straight year. The division is rather weak, and unless the Falcons somehow put together an impressive extended run, Tampa Bay should win it hands down.
Retired legendary quarterback Tom Brady, who is now a Fox NFL commentator, as well as a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, reminded Mayfield that the team’s streak of NFC South titles is one they own together.
Read more: Tom Brady Was Seen in Raiders’ Coaching Booth During Chargers Game
Brady, of course, made his way to Tampa Bay in 2020 after 20 seasons with the New England Patriots amidst a much-publicized feud with then-Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. In his very first season with the Buccaneers, he led them to the world championship with a resounding 31-9 victory in Super Bowl LV over Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
They didn’t win their division that year, but the following season, they began their current streak of finishing on top of the NFC South.
TAMPA, FL – SEPTEMBER 29: Fox Sports commentator and former NFL quarterback Tom Brady talks with Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers prior to an NFL football game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers…
TAMPA, FL – SEPTEMBER 29: Fox Sports commentator and former NFL quarterback Tom Brady talks with Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers prior to an NFL football game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Philadelphia Eagles at Raymond James Stadium on September 29, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
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Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images
Mayfield was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft by the Cleveland Browns, and he was immediately hailed as the savior for the long-suffering franchise. But he didn’t put it all together in his four seasons there, and he was branded as unreliable and a malcontent.
The Browns traded him to the Carolina Panthers in the 2022 offseason, and he came to the Buccaneers a year later. Since then, he has become his best self.
He has made the Pro Bowl and thrown for over 4,000 yards in both of the last two seasons, and last year, he completed 71.4% of his pass attempts and threw 41 touchdown passes, which was tied with Lamar Jackson for the second-most in the NFL.
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So far this year, Mayfield has thrown five touchdown passes and no interceptions. While the team’s offensive line is banged up, rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka has shown some spark with three touchdown receptions so far.
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