Jameis Winston offers humble, joyful take on unexpected role with New York Giants

USA Today

5 hours ago

Jameis Winston offers humble, joyful take on unexpected role with New York Giants
When the New York Giants signed veteran quarterback Jameis Winston to a two-year deal this past March, many were curious about the move. They had already signed Russell Wilson to be their starter and were positioning themselves to grab a potential franchise player in the 2025 NFL draft.
The move seemed like a bit of overkill, especially after the team traded up into the first round to select Jaxson Dart of Ole Miss. That hasn't fazed Winston one bit.
In his 10 seasons since being selected No. 1 overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2015 NFL draft, the former Heisman Trophy winner has encountered just about every situation and roadblock an NFL quarterback can face.
That is why he is floating on air right now with the Giants. He's the backup to Wilson at the moment and is chumming around with Dart and the Giants' other quarterback, Tommy DeVito, playing both ends of the fence as both a security blanket and a mentor.
On Tuesday, at the Giants' mandatory minicamp, Winston held court with the team's media pool in a manner that he can only do.
"I'm grateful that I can bring joy to the game. I'm grateful that through my hard work and effort on the football field that people notice me by my character. That's just something that comes with it," he said. "This is the greatest game in the world. So, we need to be able to drop our hair a little bit and notice that everyone has their own individual role.
"And I know what I've done in this NFL league in terms of playing football, and I'm grateful that I had that experience. But I also know that when I first came into this league, that I wasn't looked upon as a man of high character, I wasn't looked upon as that team-oriented guy. I had this perception of me that just wasn't true.
"Through my course of diving in and growing every single year, I've proven myself to be who I am. I think that is the greatest compliment that someone can give you is that you're truly who you are, despite the character or the giggles. I think if you ask any of my teammates, any of my coaches who I am, they would say, 'Jameis is truly who he is.'"
Winston has brought a breath of fresh air to the quarterback room and the entire building. He knows his role, which will likely be changing, and is embracing it.
Wilson will start, and Winston will spell him only in an emergency at first. That all could change, though, as the fast-rising Dart could surpass Winston early on. The rookie is impressing in workouts and has caught the imagination of the coaching staff.
Winston was asked what he could do to help Dart's transition from college phenom to NFL quarterback.
"I think one of the toughest ways to experience something is through experience," he said. "So I feel like some of the trials and some of the victories that Russ and myself or even Tommy have had throughout our career, we're able to relay that message to him in a way that maybe he gets a chance to see something before it happens or maybe we give him a few nuggets that he can take so he doesn't put himself in situations that we may have put ourselves in.
"But ultimately, Jaxson is his own guy. So, he's going (to) get out there and he's going (to) have some great human experiences, but if we can speak to him and encourage him in a way that limits some of the lack of experience, that'll be beneficial for him."
Until then, Winston is just happy to be here, glad to help in any way he can. Now 31, he has seen his share of ups and downs but continues to dwell on the positives.
"I'm representing one of the best organizations in the NFL, one of the best cities in the world, and one of the greatest fan bases the NFL has seen. I know it's bigger than me and I'm grateful that I approach it that way. I'm happy to be a Giant," he said.