QB Jameis Winston (10.30.24)
AFC Offensive Player of the week. How does it feel after just one start?
“It feels like one start. My main focus is getting back out there and having a great practice today and continuing to lead this offense to do what we’re capable of doing.”
When you look back at Sunday, what was your own self-evaluation? Where did you feel like you excelled and where did you feel like, “That’s not to my standard?”
“Yeah, I feel like as a team, we ran the football effectively. We made the completions when they were there. We are going to eliminate some things, but we’re going to build on the positives and we’re going to keep our mind focused on those positives and build upon that.”
You were operating with a new left tackle the first time you played the game there. What did you think and did you have any apprehension going into that game?
“You’re talking about Dawand (Jones)?”
Yes.
“Well, me and Dawand, we know we hold each other to a high standard. So, I knew that he was going to be prepared and ready to go because he can and probably will be one of the best tackles this NFL has seen.”
It seems like all your teammates talk about how consistent you are, from your personality to the way you prepare. I’m just curious, is that something that you think that has always been a part of you through your NFL career, or is it something that, you talked about your time in New Orleans being impactful, maybe changed during that time?
“Well, no, me being authentic that’s just who I am [laughter].”
I’m talking about with your consistency, maybe your preparation.
“Well, no, I’ve always been — I’m gonna be the first guy in the last one to leave.’ That’s just Quarterback 101 and that’s why I’ve learned from coaches, from my father, who’s my favorite coach, probably my best coach. So, he’s always instilled that into me and that’s required. That is required.”
What about the pre-practice ritual? Can you just kind of break it down, what you’re doing?
“Well, yes, just in terms of mentally and physically preparing my body just seeing veterans in the locker room take pride in their body, understanding that our body is our temple, and we have to be ready for Sunday because no one cares about what we’re really going through. We have to be ready mentally and physically.”
Last week, you talked so much about being grateful to have that chance to start again. Kevin (Stefanski) said you’re the guy moving forward. Do you feel rejuvenated by this opportunity?
“No, I’m just extremely grateful for this opportunity and I’m extremely grateful for today. And that’s what I talked about last time. My focus is on winning every single day and right now, we have to go out there and win Wednesday. So, I’m grateful that I get a chance to lead this offense on Wednesday, even at practice.”
So, I asked Kevin this morning to sort of clarify, and he did say that he named you the starter for the rest of the season. So, does that change anything at all about how you approach anything or your feelings about this opportunity in any way?
“No. My preparation is to be an NFL starting quarterback, to be a great NFL starting quarterback. My preparation has to be to the standard that’s required and nothing’s going to change about that.”
How do you get the rest of the guys to believe at the level that you believe?
Well, you exemplify that belief. One of my favorite pastors, Dr. Tony Evans out of Dallas (Texas), he uses terms about faith; “Faith is not just saying I have faith, but faith is acting like you believe God.” So, when I’m out there leading or speaking to someone, I’m acting like I know what I’m talking about. And if I don’t know what I’m talking about, I’m going to follow up with him and say, ‘Hey, man, I was wrong there. Hey, let’s fix this.’ I think just being authentic, I’m always going to have like ultimate belief and unwavering faith, because that’s my faith because I know what God has done for me. So, I think my experiences of what has happened to me over — wisdom is experience. So, I’ve experienced so much, and I’ve saw the grace and the holiness of Christ in my life. So therefore, I show that to other people. It’s just that light, it’s that continuous light that I’m going to continue to show that light because I know how far I have come.”
The (Los Angeles) Chargers have a pretty physical defensive front. They don’t give up a lot of points. Do you see any similarities when you look at them to the (Baltimore) Ravens considering you got Jim and John Harbaugh coaching both of those teams?
“Yeah, very similar conceptually in terms of their coverages and everything. Personnel, when you got Khalil Mack, you have Joey Bosa, you have great interior guys, great linebacker group, great DBs. I know one of them personally, Derwin James, he’s a beast. But, man, I believe in us, I believe that we’re a great, physical team. I believe in Nick Chubb, I believe in Wyatt Teller, I believe in Ethan Pocic, I believe in Joel Bitonio. Our guys are physical. Our guys are up for the challenge, and I think that’s what football is. They’re going to have guys. They got some good guys. I believe in my guys.”
You were quick to point out in your post-game press conference that you guys’ kind of picked up where Deshaun (Watson) had left off in the previous game. A lot of people are using your performance on Sunday to further kind of bury Deshaun sort of thing. And I’m just wondering what are your thoughts or feelings on that?
“Well, that’s none of my business, other people’s – but I know Deshaun Watson is a great quarterback. It’s unfortunate that his name has to continue to come up because of his injury, but he’s going to bounce back stronger than ever. But my focus was, what’s important to me right now is making sure that we go out there and do even better than what we did last week. And that comes from practicing great Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday to put ourselves in the best possible position to execute.”
The pregame speeches like that you give seem to go viral every time. Just curious, do you prepare, rehearse them at all, or is it just kind of like, off the cuff?
“Bro, listen, this is who I am. Like a lot of people, if you spend time trying to figure out, ‘who is this guy?’ You’re wasting your time, all right? That’s just who I am. I’m not rehearsing things. What I am rehearsing is our plays. If you want to hear me, call a play callout, I’ll rehearse that for you. I am doing that in the mirror. I am having my wife call out plays and stuff like that. So, if you want to see some rehearsal stuff, find me going over the playbook.”
So “Eat a W” is just all off the cuff?
“Well, that was something that was just brewing, you know what I’m saying? Like, it started with alphabet soup, you know? Then it ended up being pancakes, ‘W’ pancakes and then it ended up being, ‘Eat the W.’ So that was something that –but I’ve always done that. I’ve always done ‘Eat a W.’ Because alphabet soup is, growing up in the hood, you’re going to eat the alphabet soup. So, I’m only eating the W.”
Have you heard from Eminem since you quoted him?
“I have not heard from Eminem. But that is — I encourage everyone to just have that mentality because that’s so true. In all of our professions, opportunities only come around once, and we have to be grateful and receive them with authority and make the most of them.”