Baker Mayfield has become comparable to Tom Brady

Even the greatest quarterback in NFL history has been impressed by the guy who replaced him.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday clinched their fourth straight NFL South title -- a streak that began with Tom Brady at quarterback and that Baker Mayfield has continued the past two seasons.

During the win over the New Orleans Saints in the Buccaneers' regular-season finale, Mayfield threw for 221 yards and two TDs, and scrambled for another 68 yards. One of those TD passes was a 32-yard bullet to Jalen McMillan to give Tampa Bay its first lead of the game with 10:09 left.

Brady was covering his former team while doing the color commentary for FOX and gushed over the quarterback who filled his shoes two years ago after retirement.

"And Baker Mayfield, what a dime," Brady said during the broadcast. "He's throwing for his second touchdown pass of the day. Beats the corner, and then redirects on the scramble, and the safety Howden just can't get there in time.

"I love the catch, but man, that throw by Baker Mayfield was ridiculous."

Brady is the only former Buccaneers quarterback that can really be compared to Mayfield this season.

With the regular season over, Mayfield finished with career-highs in passing yards (4,500) and passing TDs (41). Only Brady has thrown more TD passes in a season while wearing a Buccaneers uniform. Mayfield's passing yards total also ranks fifth in franchise history, with Brady holding three of the spots in the top five.

Other than Mayfield, only nine other quarterbacks in NFL history have thrown for over 4,500 yards and 40 TDs in a season.

Mayfield, though, did even outdo some of Brady's marks. Mayfield set the single-season franchise record in completion percentage (71.4) and passer rating (106.8). Brady completed 67.5% of his passes in 2021.

But Brady is most famous for winning with seven Super Bowl titles, including one with Tampa Bay during the 2020 season. Brady's Super Bowl run with the Buccaneers in his first season with the franchise was Tampa Bay's first playoff appearance since 2007.

During that same 2020 season, Mayfield led the Cleveland Browns to the NFL playoffs for the first time since 2002. The Browns then beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card Round to notch the Browns' first playoff win since the 1994 season, before Mayfield was even born.

Brady then led the Buccaneers to back-to-back NFC South titles in 2021 and 2022 before retiring. Then, when Brady retired in 2022 (for real this time), Mayfield was signed after playing for three different teams within two years.

Mayfield then only continued what Brady started in Tampa. He led the Buccaneers to a division title his first season, then again this season.

The Buccaneers will host the Washington Commanders on Sunday night to possibly start the playoff run that has eluded Mayfield to this point.

Mayfield is certainly not Brady. Regardless, though, as a former No. 1 NFL Draft pick who some said had fallen short of expectations, Mayfield has revitalized his career and entered some of the same conversations as the best to ever do it.