Jameis Winston once played with a Harvard-educated quarterback in Ryan Fitzpatrick. He now expects to get a Harvard-football education from Sean Payton and Drew Brees in New Orleans.
That was a reason the quarterback decided to sign with the Saints.
“Being a part of the New Orleans Saints, being a part with Drew Brees, Taysom Hill, Sean Payton, coach Joe Lombardi, coach Pete Carmichael. When you think about that room, that’s like a Harvard education in quarterback school,” Winston said on Instagram Live on Tuesday. “I wanted to put my ego aside, put the money [aside], think about my family, think about my career. [There] was no better position than to be in the same room with someone that I’ve really looked up to, someone that I’ve admired since I’ve been playing this game in Drew Brees.”
The Saints announced the one-year deal with Winston on Tuesday. It’s not like he had a starting opportunity elsewhere, so New Orleans makes sense.
Teddy Bridgewater signed with the Panthers in free agency to become their starting quarterback after two seasons backing up Brees with the Saints.
Winston will have a chance to hit free agency again next March.
“I’ve done some great things with the Bucs,” Winston said. “I’m going to miss being a starting quarterback. But you never know what happens. I think this is just a great and a unique step to join Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints and learn from him, learn from one of the best to ever do it and make a great transition in my career.
“There’s a proverb: Humility comes before honor, so I have to humble myself. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be with Drew Brees and to be with the New Orleans Saints and just prepare, just prepare for when my next opportunity is going to present itself.”