Buccaneers 'Clicking Right Now' Behind Baker Mayfield Says Gerald McCoy

Many questioned the Tampa Bay Buccaneers bringing in quarterback Baker Mayfield, but former defensive tackle Gerald McCoy recently joined the Rich Eisen Show to outline why it was the perfect match.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had their fair share of detractors over the years, and even after winning a Super Bowl many chalked it up to quarterback Tom Brady taking another cast of backup singers to the top of the NFL charts one more time. 

So, with Brady retiring and the Buccaneers in search of their next franchise quarterback they turned to Baker Mayfield who had been cast out from the Cleveland Browns, released by the Carolina Panthers, and after spending a short time with the Los Angeles Rams was free to sign with whichever franchise he chose.

He chose the Bucs, and all offseason the conversation around the team was how he and the rest of Brady's backups would sink the franchise back to the bottom of the NFC South and the league in general.

READ MORE: Buccaneers' Fans Aren't Happy With Baker Mayfield's Quarterback Ranking

Now, after a 3-1 start including a win over the NFC South favorite New Orleans Saints, the talk about Tampa Bay is starting to change. 

For former Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, however, the conversation still is what it was in Week 1.

"I don't care how anybody feels about it, I've only been wrong once," McCoy said during a recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show.

McCoy is now a part of NFL Network's pregame programming every Sunday morning and boldly stated prior to Week 1's slate of games that he'd be picking the Bucs to win every week. 

That led some to take exception with his perceived bias and stating that he'd not be shaking off that bias in favor of authentic analysis.

But after four weeks, Tampa Bay's winning ways have converted many and proven that McCoy's loyalty to the franchise wasn't misplaced. 

"What I believe is, I believe that the roster's still talented," McCoy said when asked why the Buccaneers have surprised so many. "Prior to Brady the roster was talented. When Brady was there - obviously [it was] Brady - he gives you a boost. But I think that Baker has a point to prove and I think he's a lot better than what was shown because of what was around him. He had talent in Cleveland, I'm not talking about the talent. But people forget that Baker did go through an injury and it's hard to work through an injury as a quarterback. As much as you want to, you may see something but if you can't get your body to do it...But if you look at how he's operating his offense, I mean he's doing it. The defense has always been good since coach [Todd Bowles] has been there, but I just think they're clicking right now."

When Bowles and general manager Jason Licht first brought Mayfield into the fold the team's coach talked about meeting the quarterback when he was still in college and how his ability to draw his teammates to him really stood out.

READ MORE: Former Buccaneer Has Strong Things to Say About Baker Mayfield

Despite the struggles and disrespectful exits, Mayfield still has that ability according to his coaches and teammates, and it's something that McCoy says nobody should have ever forgotten about simply because of the way he first arrived on the national scene as a college quarterback playing for the Oklahoma Sooners.

"People forget often because we're in the NFL story now, this was a walk-on who became a Heisman Trophy winner," McCoy said about Mayfield. "So when we talk about his heart, and his fight, and what makes him him, and that chip on his shoulder, that hasn't left. He plays the game that way and that's what they needed in Tampa."

McCoy has clear allegiance to the Bucs franchise that drafted him and with which he spent nine seasons playing for, making the Pro Bowl in six.

He also has more than enough reason to slant toward supporting Mayfield since both played for the Sooners program and boast about that fact to this day.

But as long as Tampa Bay keeps winning McCoy can continue his public support without paying too much attention to those claiming his bravado is anything but based on results.

Stick with BucsGameday and the Locked On Bucs podcast for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the 2023 season

Follow BucsGameday on Twitter and Facebook