Jameis Winston was the No. 1 overall pick in 2015.
The team that drafted Winston won the Super Bowl six years later — after replacing him with Tom Brady.
Now following a year spent as the Saints’ backup to Drew Brees and Taysom Hill, Winston has a chance to start again. He’s embracing the chance to compete with Hill, noting that his 2020 season serves as motivation.
“It’s all about being able to be humble and keep your eyes on the prize,” Winston said in his Tuesday press conference. “I’m staying onward, I’m moving forward in everything that I do. I have to get better every single year, whether it’s a great year or not-so-good year. My seven years — it’s about to be seven years in this league — have been a blessing because I’ve worked my whole life to have the opportunity to be a starting quarterback in this league. One year not playing has just made me even hungrier to get back at the realm and lead a team.”
While Winston infamously became the first quarterback to throw for 30 touchdowns and 30 interceptions in the same season in 2019, his arm and throwing ability have never been in doubt. That same year, Winston led the league with 5,109 passing yards — becoming just the eighth player in NFL history to reach 5,000 yards in a single season.
If Winston can prove he’s cut down considerably on his giveaways, he could turn out to be a solid quarterback in New Orleans for years to come.