Baker Mayfield is playing the best football of his life right now. He's driven the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the top of the NFC with his heroic performances in recent weeks, stirring up Super Bowl talk before the midpoint of the season.
NFL analyst Mina Kimes recently heaped even more praise on the Bucs' quarterback, comparing part of his game to Patrick Mahomes.
With the way that Mayfield has been playing in 2025, it's not hard to see the resemblance.
Buccaneers' QB Baker Mayfield draws comparison to Patrick Mahomes
In a recent appearance on the Domonique Foxworth Show, Kimes broke down just how good Mayfield has been with his legs this year. She said, "Baker as a scrambler leads all quarterbacks this year in EPA per carry, which basically means his runs have been the most impactful runs. It's very Mahomes-ian, frankly, the way he is scrambling on third down in particular this season."
She hit the nail on the head. Mayfield has been incredibly productive as a scrambler this year. He has had multiple long runs when the Buccaneers needed them, evading tacklers and finding his way to the first down marker against all odds. He's not the biggest or most athletic quarterback in the league, but he seems to know exactly when to take off.
He doesn't scramble nearly as much as some other quarterbacks. New York Giants QB Jaxson Dart, for example, is scrambling almost twice as often as Mayfield. But he chooses the exact right moments to use his feet.
Similarly, Mahomes is able to pick the right time to scramble, consistently picking up important first downs with his feet.
His mentality as a runner gives him a leg up over opposing defenders. While many quarterbacks would slide or run out of bounds in key situations, the Bucs' QB isn't afraid to lower his shoulder or make a man miss when he needs to. Of course, some of his runs leave fans nervous about potential injuries, but those plays have made the difference in winning and losing games this season.
It's not just the yardage gained that Baker is bringing with his scrambling ability. When he takes off for a long run in crucial moments, it seems to ignite the rest of the team in a way that few other players around the league are capable of. Mayfield is a vocal leader on and off the field, and the rest of the team rallies behind him when the game is on the line. His scrambling ability, like Mahomes', has become one of his most important qualities.