Bucs GM Heaps Praise Of Baker Mayfield For Going To Local Dive Bars

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The Tampa Bay Bucs are one of the surprises of the young NFL season, as the team currently leads the NFC South with a 3-1 record despite having to say goodbye to their Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady during the offseason.

One of the biggest elements of the Bucs’ surprisingly strong start to the season has been the play of new QB Baker Mayfield, who the team signed in the offseason to compete in a training camp competition with Kyle Trask. Prior to landing with the Bucs, Mayfield has been with three teams — the Cleveland Browns, Carolina Panthers, and Los Angeles Rams — over the course of a year.

Not only did Mayfield win the starting job but he’s played great so far this season, as he’s completing 69% of his passes for 882 yards, seven touchdowns, and two interceptions.

Mayfield isn’t only winning over the Bucs and their fans with their play, though, as general manager Jason Licht recently heaped praise on the 28-year-old for his personality.

“I don’t know where this started that he wasn’t a good guy. You can point to a lot of things that maybe people got the wrong impression of him. But he’s a freaking awesome dude,” Licht said on Peter Schrager’s podcast The Season.

“Baker is a DUDE and the players saw it right away. He took the OL to the Bahamas during camp after final cuts to golf. He’s spotted around town at dive bars with receivers, with Mike Evans, with [Chris] Godwin. It’s not fake. He really knows how to be a dude with the team and they love him.”

This Sunday, the Bucs will be facing another tough test as they will be hosting the Detroit Lions, who also sit at 3-1 and are looking like one of the stronger teams in the NFC.