Jameis Winston: Playing with Saints & Drew Brees a 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity'
"There's a proverb: Humility comes before honor, so I have to humble myself"
Thursday 30 April 2020 17:08, UK
Jameis Winston's career as a starting quarterback may have been put on hold, but the former Heisman Trophy winner has welcomed the opportunity to shadow Drew Brees at the New Orleans Saints.
The 26-year-old became surplus to requirements with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason following the arrival of six-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady in free agency.
His search for a new team ended on Tuesday when Winston officially penned a one-year, $1.1m deal with the Saints to begin a new chapter as backup to former Super Bowl winner and 13-time Pro Bowl selection Brees.
"I've done some great things with the Bucs," Winston said, speaking in an Instagram Live interview with Charlie Ward. "I'm going to miss being a starting quarterback. But you never know what happens.
"I think this is just a great and 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."
Winston led the NFL in passing yards last season and became the first player ever to throw for 30-or-more touchdowns and 30 interceptions in a season.
Though he will also be competing with gadget quarterback Taysom Hill, Winston's Saints move grants him another chance to address the turnovers that helped push Bruce Arians and the Bucs towards Brady.
He added: "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."
"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."
