This season, Jameis Winston will be a backup quarterback for the New Orleans Saints after the team added veteran star Derek Carr to the roster. But while he understands his role this season, he wants to make it very clear that he still thinks he is capable of being a starting quarterback in the league.
During an interview this week, Jameis Winston announced that he is grateful to still be in the NFL and playing with the New Orleans Saints, he still believes he has the talent to be a starter and will have a chance to prove that in the future.
“The main thing is the opportunity, and I’m just grateful every chance I get an opportunity to step into a building and play a sport I love,” Winston said Tuesday, via Katherine Terrell of ESPN. “However, I know that I’m still a starting quarterback in this league. But, man, I have to be, like this is all a process.
“There’s some Hall of Famers that made their big break at 30, so I’m still young. I’m still 29, but right now my role is to serve this team in the role that I’m in. And I’m all-in to doing that. Because again, I’m grateful for the opportunity to be able to still wear a Saints uniform or to be in the NFL in general.”
It’s a bold statement from Winston, and the NFL world had plenty to say about it on Twitter.
Who wants to tell him? https://t.co/FUFSr64D42
— DLF (@DLFootball) May 31, 2023
If he knew he was still a starting quarterback in the league, why did he resign with the Saints? They gave his job away to Derek Carr.
— DLNYSportsfan1960 (@Darryl1960) May 31, 2023
He knows he's been an objectively statisticaly superior QB based on the comprehensive QB metrics, over his entire career compared to Derek Carr. He also knows he tore an ACL in 2021 then broke four vertebrae & ruptured his peroneal tendon in 2022. Rehab seasons can be a blessing…
— Author Jameis1of1 (@jameis1of1) May 30, 2023
Baker Mayfield is currently competing for a starting QB job. There’s not a wide gap between Mayfield and Winston. Look at the numbers. Mayfield is a turnover machine, but people like to overlook that fact because Mayfield has “swagger.”
— Davis_MK (@Mike_davismix) May 31, 2023
We’ll have to see if Winston ever gets another chance to start in the NFL before his career ends.
[ESPN]