Buccaneers HC Todd Bowles on QB Baker Mayfield: 'Guys Naturally Gravitate Toward Him'
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been led for the last three seasons by quarterback Tom Brady who brought a smarter brand of football than the franchise had seen before, and the result was three trips to the postseason and one Super Bowl championship.
There was also a lot of yelling, cursing, and tablet smashing from the Bucs' quarterback.
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Brady's behavior was mostly accepted because the team was winning. It was a necessary part of his elite leadership style and ability to tap into what made his teammates better.
When the Buccaneers started losing in 2022, however, we saw criticism of those same actions rising before he ultimately trimmed down on them himself.
New Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield knows a thing or two about leadership styles and personas being criticized, but head coach Todd Bowles says his personality is something that attracted him to the player in the first place.
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"I was on a college trip when I went down to Oklahoma and everything he stood for as far as leading a team on offense - he had moxie, he had natural leadership skills, it's not over-blown," Bowles said of Mayfield. "Guys naturally gravitate toward him, he has an excitement he brings toward the game, and he's hungry...And I can live with that right there. I liked him a couple years ago and that we got him now with an opportunity to have a chance to start, I think it's a good thing for us.
Speculation about Mayfield's career outlook has been mostly negative with many believing his best days have already come and gone.
But Mayfield is still just 28 years of age - or will be in April anyway - and has plenty of time to resurrect his once-promising upward trajectory that resulted in his leading the Cleveland Browns to their first postseason win since before the quarterback was born.
Having a coach that believes in his personality, and being on a team with the same underrated label Mayfield has carried himself most of his playing career, could be the perfect spot for him to write his comeback story.
Find David Harrison on Twitter @DHarrison82
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