Tom Brady’s LFG Player of the Game for Week 4: Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield

National Football League

Updated Sep. 30, 2024 10:05 a.m. ET

For each game he broadcasts during the 2024 NFL season all the way through Super Bowl LIX, FOX Sports lead NFL analyst Tom Brady is choosing one standout star as his LFG Player of the Game.

In Week 4, that honor went to the man who succeeded him as starting quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Baker Mayfield. The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft orchestrated a 33-16 beatdown of the Philadelphia Eagles in front of Brady on Sunday. Mayfield completed 30 of his 47 pass attempts for 347 yards and two touchdowns and added a touchdown run on fourth-and-goal as well. Check out Brady’s full conversation with Mayfield here:

Tom Brady’s LFG Player of the Game: Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield | Week 4 DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE

Brady has routinely praised star Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans, often reminiscing on how much he enjoyed throwing passes to Evans during their time as teammates. Brady said as the game kicked off that a key for Mayfield would be to start targeting Evans immediately, and Mayfield did just that, connecting with the five-time Pro Bowler on the Buccaneers’ first offensive play of the game. Evans finished with eight catches for 94 yards and a touchdown.

“He looked great,” Mayfield told Brady. “As hot as it was [on the field] today, guys are rotating in and out, but Mike’s a stud, as you know. So yeah, just trying to get him going early. That’s something we didn’t do last week that we realized we needed to.”

Mayfield and the Buccaneers also knew the importance of getting out to a fast start on offense against a ferocious Eagles defensive front, something Brady outlined as a key to success for both teams before the game.

“Knowing the big guys they have up front, [our plan was] getting the ball out early, letting our guys make plays in space, and seeing what kind of tackles we can break,” Mayfield said. “And guys were locked in on the plan. We’re dialed in on the details. And so that’s why we started that fast.”

Brady was also impressed by new Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen, who had a prior relationship with Mayfield when both were with the Los Angeles Rams in 2022. The two seem in perfect sync to start out the 2024 season as Mayfield has a 74.4 completion percentage, 637 passing yards and six touchdowns over his first four games.

“I love Liam,” Mayfield said. “We have a very good relationship, just the communication back and forth. He was dialed in today, just understanding the strengths of their defense and how we needed to attack it, I thought, the whole day. We didn’t make enough plays for him. Should have been more efficient.”

Despite shading Mayfield earlier in the game for some recent comments that appeared to be a veiled shot at Brady’s time in Tampa Bay, Brady praised Mayfield’s leadership throughout Sunday’s game. And in true Brady-esque fashion, Mayfield is already looking ahead to the Buccaneers’ next game — Thursday night at the NFC South rival Atlanta Falcons.

“We got a short week, got a divisional opponent on the road on a Thursday,” Mayfield said. “So for us, just continue to be efficient on offense, be locked in on the plan, start fast and let our defense get their pressures on.”

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The inaugural LFG Player of the Game went to Cowboys pass-rusher Micah Parsons in Week 1, followed by star New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara in Week 2 and Baltimore Ravens veteran RB Derrick Henry in Week 3.

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National Football League

Baker Mayfield

Tampa Bay Buccaneers