QB Jameis Winston (12.18.24)
It’s not surprising we heard you took the news like a pro. What does your role become now going forward?
“Serving this team as I was. Just not in the role that I was serving the team.”
What do you expect from DTR (Dorian Thompson-Robinson) having watched him develop all year?
“I expect him to go out there and do an amazing job. He’s a great player, young guy, he’s curious and he’s excited for this opportunity to go out there and lead this team.”
Dorian said that he was learning a lot from you and he’s going to take that with him on Sunday. What have maybe some of those conversations been like as you’ve been playing and also trying to coach and mentor him for this opportunity?
“Him just understanding like what does a schedule look like, what is he doing on a day-to-day basis and how he’s taking that in the film room and applying it out there on the field? Dorian is very bright and like I said, he’s curious. So, he’s definitely going to take advantage of this opportunity. So, I’m excited for him.”
I know obviously you’d like to have a lot of those picks back, but there were some bright moments. If this does happen to be the last time you start this season, what would you make of your seven starts and do you think you showed enough not only to Cleveland, but maybe to other organizations that you deserve to be a starter still?
“No, I definitely feel like I showed enough. That I am capable of being a starter in this league. However, there are some things that are important for me to get fixed and to get addressed so that I can be the player that I desire to be in this football league. But no, it was fun. It was a fun ride. But what’s most important right now is that the ride continues, even if my show stops, the team’s show still goes on and I’m still going to be an instrumental part in help leading this team to some success.”
And just obviously with the quarterback changes, it changed how you felt. When you said a couple weeks ago you wanted to return, or possibly open to return to Cleveland. Does that change anything?
“Oh, no. What’s important is us finishing this season strong, me getting behind Dorian and encouraging him to take advantage of this opportunity he has now.”
So not all quarterbacks have this attitude after they’ve been benched. What is it about your makeup that wants you to support Dorian like you do?
“Well, the biggest thing is I’m content with the highs and I’m content with the lows. But I’m never satisfied. Like, am I satisfied? Of course not. But that has more to do with me than to do with the organization or any other decision that people have made. I’m going to continue to pursue my dream, and I hope that another team or this team gives me an opportunity to show what I’m capable of. And I’m just going to keep getting better. I’m a man of faith, so I know that all things work together for those who love the Lord. So, I know this is just another, I would say, speed bump in my process, but it’s something that I can control, so that’s the beautiful thing.”
Was it still difficult to take news, though?
“It’s challenging anytime you’re a competitor. Like I said, the most important thing is being the same guy every single day, despite the circumstances, conditions and facts. Do I like it? Of course not. I know I’m a starting quarterback in this league. However, what you may say, you have to go out there and produce. And you got to get wins for your team, you got to have elite ball security, and you have to do what’s required to be that starting quarterback.”
Did you have any preliminary discussion with the front office about potentially coming back?
“No, we haven’t had any discussion to that point. Like I said, what’s most important is us focusing on these next three games and making the most of it.”
When you had this discussion with Kevin (Stefanski) about sitting down, did you give your input in terms of what you think should happen? I mean, did you say maybe it’s time to turn this over to Dorian?
“I think the conversation between me and Coach Stefanski was very professional and very forward thinking. And like I said, my role now is to serve DTR and help him be as best as he can be.”
As you left the stadium on Sunday, did you feel like this was the probable move or did you feel like there’s still a chance for you to start this week?
“I’m always going to, every week, prepare to be the guy. So, nothing changed as far as that loss, getting sat down during the game, nothing changed from my process there. I just received [the] information yesterday.”
Dorian’s career stats are one touchdown, seven interceptions. So how do you impart any wisdom about elite ball security to him?
“Well, I think that is something that has been preached over the course of the last few weeks especially. And I know he’s very coachable. So, I believe that Ken (Dorsey) and Coach Stefanski are going to put a great plan together to allow him to execute at a high level. I know that he’s going to be on top of his reads, I know that he’s going to be able to do some exciting things with his legs, and I know that he’s going to give us a great chance to get this win.”
Kevin really stressed for Dorian having a week of practice as the number one guy. Obviously, you’ve done that a ton of times. How much difference does that make, having that week as the starter versus being summoned off the bench?
“I think it’s very important because of the preparation of getting timing together with the guys, having great communication with the offensive lineman, being able to get you some of the checks that you get week in and week out. So, I’m definitely excited for him to get that experience. He had some of that last year, but as a rookie quarterback, things go fast. I think with me being able to help him kind of slow down that process and kind of just let him know, like, ‘Hey, let’s focus on this and let everything else get behind us.'”
Just knowing how much you are hard on yourself about those interceptions and wanting to change that. Is it difficult for you, I guess, knowing that you threw a couple or a few this last game and now they went to somebody else, like, how do you handle that part?
“Well, in terms of the interception piece, like, man, I’m dismissing that because I know that’s one thing that I’m going to get better at, and I have to if I want to continue to do what I love. So, I think the thing that gets me is just I really enjoy competing with my teammates. And for me to be in that role and to not play well enough to be back in that back seat, like, that’s just — Like any competitor doesn’t want that. And I don’t want that. But what I do want is to continue to show these guys what resilience looks like, continue to show these guys what perseverance looks like, and continue to show these guys that I am who I am. Like regardless of the circumstances, conditions and fact, I still have unwavering faith. I’m still going to come to work excited and ready to go because this opportunity is unique, and I will take full advantage of this opportunity that I have now.”
How do you feel about the fact that you were able to come in, step in there, throw for all the yards that you threw for, revive the offense, get Jerry Jeudy so many yards that he’s under Pro Bowl consideration, just the snow globe game, snow angels, just the fun and the joy that you brought to this football team?
“Yeah, and that’s what I do it for and I know I’m capable of bringing that fun and that joy and I know I’m capable of transitioning the paradigm shift of an organization. What I am going to continue to focus on and build upon is my ability to consistently do that. Consistently have that fun without lows. Eliminate all the lows, eliminate all the negatives that are in my game. And literally my game, there’s only one negative that’s in my game. So that’s something again that I can control. That’s something that I will continue to build upon. But outside of that man, I’m going to be rooting for my boys and being ready and staying ready, so I don’t have to get ready.”