Did Tom Brady intentionally throw incompletions? Baker Mayfield spills the beans.

The footsteps were huge. And actually, the task at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could have been a huge burden for Baker Mayfield.

That’s because the quarterback took over the Bucs’ job last NFL season from the retired Tom Brady. And he had taken the team to the Super Bowl in the 2020 season.

Mayfield did the right thing: he didn’t pretend, didn’t try to play a role, but was himself. Which was especially important in the locker room, as Mayfield revealed in the “Casa de Klub” podcast.

Because the Brady era had apparently left its mark.

Baker Mayfield: Everyone was stressed

“It was a little different in the building when Tom was there. From a playing standpoint, Tom is different, of course. He had everyone on the same page, a tense atmosphere, so I think everyone was pretty stressed,” Mayfield said. ‘They wanted me to come in, be myself, and bring the joy of football back to the guys who weren’t having as much fun.’

Mayfield also revealed an anecdote. Brady made it clear in his own way that it is his offense by throwing an incompletion from time to time. Allegedly on purpose.

“You hear some stories about when he didn’t like a particular play and he didn’t agree with it all week and it was called in the game, he’d intentionally risk an incompletion or throw the ball at the running back or receiver’s feet,“ Mayfield said.

”There were a lot of mind games.”

There apparently aren’t any of those under Mayfield, who says he’s bringing the fun back. Things went well for him in terms of sports, too: in 2023, he led the Bucs into the playoffs and earned himself a lucrative, long-term contract.