“He’s A Dude!”
October 4th, 2023
Bucs GM Jason Licht on QB Baker Mayfield.
It seems Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht knew Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield was a guy’s guy before the rest of us learned Mayfield got a woody on the football field over a play developing.
Look, you are never going to get Joe to ever suggest former Bucs quarterback Tom Brady was bad for the team. He should have had his name up in the Ring of Fame at halftime of the Eagles game and already had No. 12 retired for what he has done for this franchise.
To suggest Brady was bad for the Bucs, well, that’s simply heresy to Joe. Ira has tried to get Joe to take the bait regarding Brady’s performance last season, but that notion is some of the biggest nonsense “this Joe” has ever heard in sports. (The other Joe was unimpressed by Brady last season.)
And while Brady was known for getting hammered with his Bucs teammates celebrating a Super Bowl win, Brady wasn’t exactly the kind of guy to be seen out and about town with teammates. Or with his wife. Or even by himself.
Brady seemed too busy doing bad cryptoscam deals, making an awful movie with a bunch of old hags or trying to worm his way onto the Dolphins roster. He preferred that than to waste much time with frivolous pursuits like darts in bars with teammates.
That ain’t Baker Mayfield.
(Brady did hang out sometimes with teammates. For example, Brady was seen with Mike Evans in Las Vegas at one of Dana White’s human cockfighting circuses.)
While appearing on Peter Schrager’s podcast “The Season,” Licht said it’s common for Mayfield to show up unannounced at some random, nondescript watering hole in Tampa with Bucs wide receivers or other position groups.
In fact, Licht said after the final roster cutdowns in September, Mayfield took all the offensive linemen to the Bahamas to go golfing.
“He’s a freakin’ awesome dude,” Licht said of Mayfield. “He’s a dude! The players saw it right away. Whether he is taking the linemen to the Bahamas after our final cuts to go golf.
“Or, he’s spotted around town at dive bars with different position groups. With receivers with Mike Evans. With Godwin and these guys. It’s not fake. He really knows how to be with a dude, with the team. And they love him.”
Licht admitted he’s confused with the common perception of Mayfield being an a-hole. And still well into the season, Licht said he gets questions often about Mayfield’s character.
“Even as I go around town, I get, ‘Is Baker a good guy?'” Licht began. “I don’t know where this started that he wasn’t a good guy. I mean, I think you could point to a few things that maybe people got the wrong impression of him.
“But he’s a freakin’ awesome dude.”
Well, Joe saw this (second hand) when not long after he signed with the Bucs, Mayfield, Tristan Wirfs, Ko Kieft and others went to a Rays game and Mayfield was seen pounding beers with Rays fans sitting nearby.
That didn’t happen with Tommy Seven Rings. In fact, has Brady ever stepped foot into the Fruitdome?
While Brady is quarterback royalty, Joe guesses you could say Mayfield is a quarterback of the people.
October 4th, 2023 at 12:37 pm
I like seeing Baker on the sidelines after a series talking to his receivers. I typically see QB’s looking at plays on their pads and not talking to teammates. The worst is when you see a QB on the sidelines sitting and doing nothing.
October 4th, 2023 at 12:41 pm
Agree that Brady belongs in the Ring of Honor. The first two years he was here was a beautiful thing to behold.
October 4th, 2023 at 12:44 pm
“He’s a Dude!”
This pretty much sums up my impression of Baker. He seems like one of my drinking buddies.
I honestly hope I run into him in one of the bars in Tampa. He just looks like a blast to hang with.
October 4th, 2023 at 12:48 pm
Different styles. Brady was the GOAT. Mayfield is a character – in a very good, but different, way. Keep it up, Baker – you’ve got this team humming.
October 4th, 2023 at 12:49 pm
Can Mayfield pitch for the Rays too? Seems we need it
October 4th, 2023 at 12:57 pm
“While Brady is quarterback royalty, Joe guesses you could say Mayfield is a quarterback of the people.”
Tom was a business transaction with a mercenary who puts on the PR facade of a good dude involved in the community (at least in Tampa). It’s nice to have a QB that’s happy to be here, builds relationships with teammates, and is a part of the community. He’s no Tom, but he’s stacked a couple wins now too and I’m really hoping he works out as our longish term solution. He’s fun to root for and seems like a genuinely fun dude who maybe isn’t the most PC at times lol
But thanks for the ring and culture Tom, enjoy retirement even if you really wanted to be in SF or MIA the whole time!
October 4th, 2023 at 1:10 pm
Nobody loves dive bars like I do. So that’s cool but not too many beers boys. We’ve got games to win.
October 4th, 2023 at 1:23 pm
The best was as a rookie he was at a tribe game…the put him on the jumbo tron and he proceeds to shotgun a beer and amp up the crowd. He is a dude.
October 4th, 2023 at 1:43 pm
You appreciate life a WHOLE lot more when you’ve nearly died
October 4th, 2023 at 2:06 pm
So one Joe is a realist and knows Brady was great in 2020 and 2021 but also a major reason we stunk on offense last season while the other Joe thinks that Brady won every game by himself, including the 2020 NFC Championship where he threw a Jameis like three 4th quarter picks and the Super Bowl, where the defense choked out Mahomes, and last season’s problems were everyone else’s fault except Brady’s? Does that sum it up correctly?
October 4th, 2023 at 2:33 pm
Mayfield, Evans, Winfield Jr. And Lavonte David would be my vote for captains and they are all Dudes.
October 4th, 2023 at 2:34 pm
Joe–some of us do not want to read this sht. For those questioning this — I am 60+ yr old woman that is heterosexual. Anyway I can tolerate it most of the time lol but why does this even have to be put in here. ” Mayfield got a woody on the football field over a play developing.” Joe–you do actually have women fans that really love football and love the Bucs. It is thanks to your site that I even remain a Bucs fan as I know so much about the individuals that make up the team thanks to your articles. Anyway Joe–you do you and you do your website but don’t make it any worse as it feels kinda like you could care less about what your women Joubucsfan’s fans think. And Joe do us both a favor and don’t publish this comment–should be easy for you as I am in moderation with every comment for years now–that has never changed. This comment is for you only please. Other than that–you have a great site that I visit daily.
October 4th, 2023 at 2:40 pm
The Dude Abides.
Starting to really like Mayfields attitude.
It really ties the room together.
October 4th, 2023 at 3:24 pm
No.
October 4th, 2023 at 3:57 pm
Anyone who’s ever been on a high level competitive sports team or has operated as part of military team, understands this is how Alpha males talk to each other. In a world full of snowflakes where anyone can be whatever they say they are, this fact gets overlooked. C’mon people this isn’t a big deal. It’s how “dudes” act with their other “dudes”.
October 4th, 2023 at 4:21 pm
The fact you call professional martial arts what you do shows you know as much about that as you do football (on the day the stats show who the best tackle in the league, this tracks).
October 4th, 2023 at 4:30 pm
You know Jason, you’re a pretty awesome Dude too!
October 4th, 2023 at 4:42 pm
The most garbage, offensive, TOTAL BS article you have ever written. To infer that Brady was a snob with his other interests was TOTAL disrespectful complete BS and that entire snarky paragraph of you bashing Brady is beneath you. Maybe Brady was too busy being a freakin FATHER. Idiotic statements. And that’s not even bringing up the offensive woody comment. I get it Baker likes to have beers. Many people did in their 20s but then people grow up and realize that family is most important.
October 4th, 2023 at 4:53 pm
The Bucs have already played, 1 good half of football this season. And I’m stoked.
October 4th, 2023 at 4:56 pm
Brady seemed too busy doing bad cryptoscam deals, making an awful movie with a bunch of old hags or trying to worm his way onto the Dolphins roster.
———–
You know last offseason, I pitched the idea that the Bucs should have went directly to the Dolphins owner, who badly wanted Brady, and got Tua plus a pick in return (aim for a 1st, I think they could have got it).
Brady didn’t really want to come back, certainly not for Todd Bowles and Brian Leftwich, and who would blame him based on how it worked out.
Anywho, my plan to get mocked because the people in the comments said Tua is awful, take the pick and let them keep Tua, etc.
My plan would have turned out great.
Except, of course, for the fact that Leftwich would have been the OC and Tua would have looked awful, and been injured by week 3. So maybe my plan wouldn’t have turned out great.
October 4th, 2023 at 5:01 pm
TF Says:
October 4th, 2023 at 4:42 pm
The most garbage, offensive, TOTAL BS article you have ever written. To infer that Brady was a snob with his other interests was TOTAL disrespectful complete BS and that entire snarky paragraph of you bashing Brady is beneath you.
————–
I’ve gone to combat with the moronic idiot stupid Brady haters, but get a grip. Brady was brought in as a paid mercenary, here to win a SB – and also for him to show up the Patriots, so he had his own motivation. While I’ll never heard a bad story about people interacting with Brady, he’s a guy who wears $300k watches and plows through various supermodels. Of course he’s a snob, and who cares? He was here to win, and he won.
As for him not being invested last year – he clearly was distracted early on as he went through his divorce, but I will agree with you in that he was not the issue in the least, and you’ll never convince me he didn’t care. Instead I think it was the first time in Brady’s career where he had incompetent coaches – he only knew Belichick and Arians, he never had to deal with a 3rd rate headcoach (and to be sure, I really like Bowles as a DC, in that case he’s 1st rate).
October 4th, 2023 at 5:21 pm
Not a comparison. Brady was 45! He had a wife and three kids. He has very different and unique priorities from the young guys. Besides that, he’s always got along with every teammate he’s been with in his career.
October 4th, 2023 at 5:22 pm
Let me reassure some confused folks that just love to blame Leftwhich for everything as to what went wrong in 2022
– Leftwhich comes from Arians system and No Risk It No Biscuit simply doesnt work when the Oline is as bad as it was. I can assure you that the Bucs offense wouldn’t have been much better than it was even if Arians was here especially with a washed up Brady and no running game.
Leftwhich did Brady a HUGE favor by calling plays the way he did last season….Brady would’ve gotten DESTROYED behind that Oline if we ran No Risk It No Biscuit….look at what’s happening to an immobile Joe Burrow right now….dude is getting killed because their Oline sucks and he can’t move due to his calf.
October 4th, 2023 at 5:30 pm
You don’t win seven SBs without being a leader in the locker room. Stop trying to portray as some snob, no mater how much Joe wants to project Brady as some diva, it won’t work. Joe has zero personal knowledge of Brady. I will base my opinion on a player based on what other layers who have actually had any interaction him. In his 23 year career, not one teammate has said anything bad about Tom as a person and teammate. It’s funny how some of turned on Tom when Joe posted countless articles about people raving about his leadership.
Baker and Tom are two completely different people and at different stages in their lives. I’m absolute thrilled that Brady isn’t some old guy hanging at the club.
October 4th, 2023 at 5:41 pm
Tbbucs3 Says:
October 4th, 2023 at 5:22 pm
Let me reassure some confused folks that just love to blame Leftwhich for everything as to what went wrong in 2022
– Leftwhich comes from Arians system and No Risk I
————
Leftwich is/was a moron, who Arians trained for years and years, with no results. If you actually think Leftwich is good – then why didn’t anyone else hire him? Leftwich ran the most predictable offense I’ve ever seen last year, even the Ravens said after that game that the Bucs offense just ran the same play over and over again just from a different formation.
Leftwich is and was an idiot. He wasted downs over and over again by being ultra predictable and just running the ball up the middle on 1st down. He wouldn’t use a playaction, if he did pass on 1st down then he’d go to shotgun, removing the threat of the run – and if he ran from shotgun, even that was tell because of the way the RB would line up.
Leftwich is a moron and literally everyone in the NFL knows it, which is why he doesn’t have a job.
October 4th, 2023 at 5:44 pm
Bucs13 Says:
October 4th, 2023 at 5:30 pm
You don’t win seven SBs without being a leader in the locker room. Stop trying to portray as some snob, no mater how much Joe wants to project Brady as some diva, it won’t work.
————
Again, I’m a Brady defender, which is absurd to even have to say. But who cares if Brady is a snob? Why is that important one way or another? Personally I want my QB to be a superstar, out jetting around the world, banging all the hottest chicks. That’s something to aspire to. What I can’t stand are the dullards that say, I want Bruce Gradkowski as my QB because he’s down to earth and relatable. If I’m on a team, I don’t want a relatable QB, I want a winner who commands the room and everyone has 100% confidence in – not some ‘nice guy’ who everyone describes as a ‘hard worker’.
October 4th, 2023 at 6:12 pm
@RodMunch lol. He sure does likes his supermodels.
October 4th, 2023 at 6:15 pm
Sports Illustrated posted the quotes from Jason Licht on Baker. Guess who liked the post…Mr. Tom Brady. I know the Joes are old, but we live in a digital technology where likes are used to display satisfaction and adoration. Tom’s social media activity shows that he still has much love for the Bucs. Matter of fact, he’s more active on the Bucs page than the Patriots. Lol. He loved his time with the team. And he loves Licht and the Glazers.
October 4th, 2023 at 6:29 pm
To the Joe that like Brady last year….. What? Guy wouldn’t take a hit, we didn’t convert a 3rd and 11 or longer ALL YEAR! Brady is a hero but last year…… you had your pewter glasses on if you think that was a good season. Last straw for me was when he went to a Patriots wedding DURING THE SEASON (Why not do it in the off season btw).
October 4th, 2023 at 6:42 pm
It just doesn’t make sense. Tom Brady came to us after being discarded unceremoniously by the Pats. He played at a significant discount. He could have retired after the super bowl but chose to honor his contract for 3 years. His second year was successful even after the “repeat” letdown. There is NO reason that a grateful franchise could not have kept the no biscuit offense and tweaked it where needed to give TB12 a fighting chance at a good season to end his career. In all likelihood last year would have been successful enough for TB12 to retire with his head held high. The Glazers could have shown great gratitude with promotions, ceremonies, merchandise etc. and given a glorious send off. Why after giving Brady the crash course in BA’s offense did they not run it ONE more year. Were they trying to crash for a quarterback last year ? I don’t know. I can’t even speculate any more. Brady got shafted and disrespected by the team that wanted him so badly.
This is one complex scenario and I’m tired of trying to make sense of it.
I’m done with NASCAR. I’m done with MLB. I’ve been long done with NBA. NHL and NFL is all I have left and NFL is about to get flushed. Screw show business.
October 4th, 2023 at 8:14 pm
TF – if family was so important to Tom, I think he wouldn’t have gotten divorced. He certainly wasn’t busy being a husband. End of argument.
October 4th, 2023 at 8:32 pm
firethecannons Says:
October 4th, 2023 at 2:34 pm
Joe–some of us do not want to read this sht. For those questioning this — I am 60+ yr old woman that is heterosexual. Anyway I can tolerate it most of the time lol but why does this even have to be put in here.
————————
Hey ftc, I’m gonna be a 71 yo broad in a couple of weeks. Glad to see I have company. Let’s face it: you’re gonna be an intelligent diehard NFL fan who’s female, you better have a tough hide with all the males on NFL sites. My other hobby as I am retired is politics/political activism. Anywho, hated Brady from the time he conveniently showed up here. Bucs would have won the Stupid Bowl in 2020. They just needed a QB who didn’t turn the ball over.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:04 pm
Canales is able to run a more creative offense this year than Leftwhich last year because the O line drastically improved and Bakers mobility allows a lot more roll outs
No reason to keep dwelling on 22 but I’ll say this, Its embarrassing how the fan base has treated Leftwhich, a guy who literally called plays during the Superbowl year and had a great working relationship with Brady for 3 season…
The man was in the building everyday working hard with Arians for arguably the greatest era of Bucs football.
I’ll take Bradys opinion of Leftwhich over a bunch of keyboard warriors any day.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:30 pm
The Tom Brady hate / revisionism is so bizarre to me.
It’s clear he has nothing but love for the Bucs org and his former teammates. I don’t know what people want from him. And no it’s not surprising that a 45 year old, who happens to be probably the most prepared player in league history, was either studying film or tending to his family rather than going out for beers last season lol.
@Tbbucs3 – look at how Leftwich has done once Arians was no longer over his shoulder, both in Arizona and in Tampa. Absolutely horrible! O-line, no run game, and a 45 year old Brady also played a part, but to excuse Leftwich is ridiculous.
October 4th, 2023 at 9:51 pm
By golly Joe I think you hit it right on the head . Baker is the QB FOR THE PEOPLE . He’s like rooting for your drinking buddy or your good friend from school . Hell , maybe he’s your sisters boyfriend or that guy that sold us some gummies at the dispensary and then asked if he could have one . The point is , we the bucs people should help lift him and this team with being loud at games and when you see him drinking at said watering hole , go tell him to kick ass and take names ! Go bucs !
October 5th, 2023 at 5:42 am
I would not set foot in Tropicana Field without some serious protection. Or some 300 lb linemen. LOL
On the whole I would rather have a beer with Jensen!
The idiots in St Pete decided to build a stadium in Crackhead heaven and wonder why attendance sucks?
Go Bucs!
October 5th, 2023 at 6:51 am
I’ll take that remark over molesting an Uber driver any day 👍
October 5th, 2023 at 7:57 am
BAKER’S ONE OF THE BOYS! Let’s effing go Bucs!!!