Baker Mayfield wants to make one thing clear: he is not, and never will be, Tom Brady. Following the league’s recent announcement regarding the 2025 Walter Payton Man of the Year honors, the Buccaneers signal-caller addressed the persistent shadow of his predecessor with newfound urgency. Mayfield ending up as one of the nominees reveals how a career milestone served as the definitive catalyst for his most unfiltered admission since arriving in Tampa.

“When you step into a situation like that, when Tom [Brady] has just been there, obviously living legend, greatest quarterback that’s ever played, you can’t try and beat him,” said Mayfield to The Associated Press. “Nobody’s ever going to be Tom Brady. There’s not going to be a second one of that.”

The star quarterback clarified that he didn’t come to Tampa Bay to replace the legendary Brady. Certainly, he stepped into his shoes, but he has “unapologetically” remained true to himself. In his words, he keeps his emotions on his sleeve and owns his mistakes. That’s precisely why he has been able to build a name for himself among Buccaholics. 

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This isn’t the first time these words have come out of the two-time Pro Bowler’s mind. In his introductory press conference as the Buccaneers quarterback, he ascertained that he’s “not going to be Tom Brady.” 

Instead, “I’m going to be me. That’s what’s gotten me to this point. We’re going to do it differently,” he said. 

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles, too, has iterated the fact many times that Mayfield and Brady cannot be put in the same jar. He served as an assistant when the legendary Brady led the team to a Super Bowl victory in 2020 and has since watched Mayfield’s impressive growth over the past three seasons. 

“He was the complete opposite of Tom, which is a good thing,” Bowles explained in ‘24. “Because if you get somebody similar, they’re going to be comparing him, and you’re screwed.”

The seven-time Super Bowl champion led through a “mindset of a champion” that some players found intense. Mayfield famously described the Brady era as a “high-strung environment” where players were often stressed because the expectations were so through the roof. To which Brady’s response was legendary:

“This wasn’t daycare. If I was going to have fun, I’d go to Disneyland with my kids.”

Whereas Mayfield focuses on “bringing joy” back to the game, believing in leading through camaraderie rather than pressure. 

As for their playing style, the former Patriots superstar was the ultimate pocket passer, often relying on elite pre-snap reads. He rarely scrambled, focusing on “taking what the defense gave him” to move the chains systematically. Mayfield, as Bowless pointed out, is opposite. 

He is more “sneaky athletic” and plays with a gunslinger mentality. In 2025, the FOX Sports analyst even praised a specific throw by Mayfield, noting that the Bucs signal-caller has “explosive power” in his lower body that allows him to make off-platform throws Brady typically didn’t attempt. 

Since the day he arrived in Tampa Bay, Mayfield knew he couldn’t beat Brady’s version of greatness, so he chose to build his own. 

Baker Mayfield ended up as one of the nominees

The former AP College Football Player of the Year gave a firm stance on Brady’s comparison shortly after the winner of the Walter Payton Man of the Year award was announced. Mayfield was a finalist for the prestigious award, given as an honor to recognize a player’s excellence in both football and community service.

While being the Buccaneers’ nominee was a career milestone for Baker, which he described as “humbling,” it was the Washington Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner who took the award home. His work through the Phenia Mae Fund, which supports pediatric stroke programs and youth technology education, earned him the trophy.  

Mayfield earned the nomination for his commitment to the Tampa Bay community. If he had won, he stood a chance to join Derrick Brooks as the only other player in team history to win the award. Through his foundation’s “Be the Ball” event, he has raised nearly $600,000 for youth services. And his personal generosity saved the Space Coast Vipers’ season with a $17,900 donation for safety gear. 

From providing $50,000 in hurricane relief to launching a scholarship for walk-on athletes, Mayfield has proven that, while his stats are impressive, his true legacy in Tampa is defined by being the heart of the community.