Jameis Winston's career hasn't exactly gone smoothly since he was selected with the No. 1 pick of the 2014 NFL Draft. Not only has the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback been wildly inconsistent with his play, but more troublingly, the off-field controversies that marked his time at Florida State have proven far from an aberration, as he's had multiple run-ins with the law over the past several seasons.
Undeterred by his failings on the field and ugly transgressions off it though, Winston enters the 2019 season with perhaps one last chance to prove himself as Tampa Bay's franchise quarterback. The “three rules of football” he imparted to kids at his youth football camp, then, should come as no surprise.
“What are the three rules of football?” Winston said, per AL.com's Josh Bean. “Never give up, never give up, never give up.”
Suspended for the first three games of last season after being accused of groping a female Uber driver, Winston threw for 2,992 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions last season, splitting time as the Buccaneers' starter with journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Under new coach Bruce Arians and first-year offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, however, many believe Winston is poised to turn his career around this season. Leftwich, considered a breakout star in the coaching ranks, seems to have already made a big impression on Winston, too.
“[Him] seeing things how I see it, [his] understanding from being in that pocket and not all from a strategic standpoint — it's [been] excellent,” Winston said, per ESPN's Jenna Laine.
Tampa Bay has just one winning season since Winston was drafted, but has yet to make the playoffs. The team went 5-11 for a second straight season in 2018.
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