METAIRIE, La. – An emotional Jameis Winston fought back tears on Tuesday as he talked about how much it meant working closely with Drew Brees last year. And Winston said he “would love to take the torch from him” as the next New Orleans Saints defender.
Winston is expected to compete for the job with Taysom Hill this summer, after Brees announced his retirement and Winston re-signed a one-year deal with the Saints last week.
“Being able to have a whole season with Drew Brees was a dream of mine,” said Winston, who began choking during a video conference with the New Orleans press after being asked about an intimate conversation that he was seen having it with the Brees during the final minutes of the New Orleans playoff loss in January.
“For him to put his arm around me – or just give me any words of encouragement – after seeing the resilience, the passion, the way he approached me every day; for that to be a story, I was touched by that, “Winston said.” Because he doesn’t even know how much it means to me and my family. Really …
“I like football. That’s all I’ve done all my life. And someone I look at, admire, could touch, was my teammate and I had the chance to serve him … man, I’m speechless. That really excites me. Because I love Drew Brees, like I don’t think he really understands …
“You don’t understand the impact he and many other defenders have had on me as a defender growing up in Bessemer, Alabama. And many people do not understand that human aspect for an athlete. But you know, I really love Drew Brees. As I really do. And I was happy to see what he did and how he persevered last year. “
Winston, who turned 27 in January, originally signed a one-year deal with the Saints last summer to try to revive his career and get a “Harvard quarterback education” under people like coach Brees Sean Payton and offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. Although Winston played moderately last season, he had a chance to complete a 56-yard touchdown pass on a play-off piece in the Saints playoff loss to his former team, Tampa. Bay Buccaneers. And he had enough experience to return to the Saints as a free agent this year, with a one-year deal that includes $ 5.5 million guaranteed and could be worth up to $ 12 million based on playing time and achievements.
Winston acknowledged that replacing someone like Brees comes with an “extraordinary amount of responsibility. But I accept that.”
“You just learn from his methods and you’ll be the best version of yourself. That’s what Drew Brees would tell me,” Winston said. “You are Jameis Winston; You don’t have to be Drew Brees. “
“And I would love to take the torch from him. I would love to be able to offer the enthusiasm, joy and resilience he has given to this city.”
When asked how he thinks Payton’s offense could evolve with him as a defender, Winston said, “I’m excited to find out the same thing with you.”
“One thing I know about coach Payton is he enjoys challenges and he enjoys new beginnings,” Winston said. “And I think he’s looking at this opportunity, kind of the way I see it, the way a young San Diego defender got it, right?” When he took Drew from the Chargers [in 2006] and they exploded together.
“I like football. That’s all I’ve done all my life. And someone I looked at, admired, could touch, was my teammate and I had the chance to serve him … man, I’m speechless. That really excites me. Because I really love Drew Brees, like I don’t think he even understands. ”
Jameis Winston
“So I know his arsenal is full of a lot of things. When you see what he managed to do with Taysom last year, how he completely changed our offense and we were very successful. It was incredible just to look at a guy working like that and that’s why I say it was that room [of Saints coaches and quarterbacks]. It was the whole room that created something that came out as a masterpiece, and I really liked Sean, Pete, and Taysom and all the guys who were in that room. “
Winston’s career has been full of highs and lows on the field since he won the Heisman Trophy at Florida State and was selected with the first overall draft pick by the Buccaneers in 2015. He went 28-42 as a starter and led the NFL with 5,109 passing courts in 2019. But he battled infamous turnovers and became the first player in NFL history to throw at least 30 touchdown passes and 30 interceptions in the same season in 2019.
The Buccaneers decided to move on to Tom Brady when Winston became a free agent and went on to win the Super Bowl.
Winston has made several changes over the past year, including surgery on LASIK to correct his vision and improve his diet and fitness. And he said that LASIK is “a great idea” because “I like to see things clearly.”
But he said that these things are pale compared to the value of being in a room with all the coaches and defenders of the saints, whom he listed by name.
When asked what he learned last year that could help improve with turnovers, Winston said, “One of the greatest things I learned from Drew was, you know, ‘Jameis, we take decisions based on the fact that it is the right decision. We don’t care about the result, do we? Because, in time, the right decision will take us where we want to be. “
“And I bought that,” Winston said.
Winston also pointed out that, above all, one of the greatest things he learned about him last year was “how to be a father and a husband to my wife and son … and how we will persevere no matter what ”.
“Because my wife and I were in New Orleans and she was pregnant then [and] with a 2-year-old during this pandemic, “Winston said.” So, it was only us for the first time in our lives and we are going through this, we have a humble role in our lives. She’s my high school sweetheart, so she went up and down with me. So, I think that learning how to be a father and persevere in those difficult times and also to understand this excellent opportunity that was in front of me …
“And that’s why I’m in a good mood right now. My coach always said that being a good defender won’t make you a better man, but being a better man will make you a great defender.”