Most people in Tampa spent last week concerned over a brutal loss to the Denver Broncos last Sunday, but others used the time to kick up some dust between Baker Mayfield and Tom Brady.
Some comments Baker made about how Brady ran the locker room while he was with the Bucs made the rounds and swelled into a small controversy. It got so big that Brady fired back at Baker during the broadcast of Sunday's game, and it continued after when Mayfield was asked about it during his postgame press conference.
The whole situation stems from Mayfield commenting about how the guys he's with now were in a 'stressful' situation during Brady's tenure.
“You hear some of the stories about if he didn’t like a certain play call and he didn’t like it throughout the week and they still call it in the game, there might have been a throwaway on purpose or throwing it at the running back or receiver’s feet,” Mayfield said of Brady. “There were a lot of mind games going on.”
That blew up into being sold as Baker calling Brady out, which is how the former Buccaneers quarterback seemed to take it when he responded on Sunday.
“I thought stressful was not having Super Bowl rings,'' Brady said. "This wasn’t daycare. If I was going to have fun, I was going to Disneyland with my kids. There’s a way to approach this game and it’s with the right mindset to push teammates."
Despite the Bucs thumping the Eagles in a blowout win, Baker was asked about his comments and Brady's response. He used the opportunity to squash any precieved beef and hopefully put an end to the whole ridiculous situation.
Baker Mayfield clarifies his viral comments about Tom Brady
Mayfield and Brady shared a moment before the game where they embraced and talked shop for a bit before they each went to work. That seemed like the end of any sort of beef -- none of which has actually existed outside of folks pretending like it does -- but it came up once again after the game.
Baker clarified his comments about as clearly as he could.
"I think a lot of that got taken out of context. None of it was personal by any means. It was just what he demanded of the guys, and that's the aura of Tom Brady and that's what he did to bring a championship here," Mayfield said after the win. "A lot of things got taken out of context. He did it his own way and that's why he has seven rings."
What the main takeaway from the game should be is that Baker balled out. He finished with 347 yards and three total touchdowns as the Bucs offense steamrolled the Eagles. Things looked as good as they have all season, and it's coming at a perfect time considering the next three games.
Tampa Bay has the Falcons, Saints, and Ravens as upcoming opponents, and if they look anything like they did on Sunday it will be a statement-making stretch. That's what should be on everyone's mind, as this little non-controversy with Brady might finally be put to rest.
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