Jameis Winston Sounds Extremely Sad While Questioning Saints Head Coach For How He's Handled Starting Quarterback Role
Jameis Winston is not happy with how this season has played out with regard to his role as starting quarterback for the Saints. Despite the disappointment, he vows to support his team as best he can and be ready when called upon.
Jameis Winston, in his third year with New Orleans, was named the starter prior to this season. He served in that role for the first three weeks but injury forced him to miss some time.
As a result, Andy Dalton took over under center and will do so again this weekend. It will mark his eighth consecutive week in the starting role.
Meanwhile, Winston is confused. He spoke to the media on Friday and expressed that he is ready to get back on the field and doesn't understand why he has not been granted that opportunity.
When Winston spoke with head coach Dennis Allen back in early October, the 28-year-old was under the impression that he would regain his starting role once healthy. That has not been the case thus far.
"I lost my job due to injury and the policy has always been you don't lose your job due to injury. And that's what happened," he said.
Jameis Winston wants to get back on the field.
Winston says that he feels healthy enough to play and has had a hard time being on the sideline. With that being said, the former No. 1 overall pick understand that he can only control what he can control.
What's going on right now is what I've got to deal with right now and focus on right now. I'll handle what's going on right now, and when that time comes for me to eventually come back on the field, which hopefully it will, I'm going to support Andy, I'm going to support this offense, I'm going to support everyone on this offensive staff the best I possibly can, and that's it.
In regard to his current role as the backup, Winston offered a very depressing outlook on his season.
"...it hurts my heart," he said. "It hurts my soul the way things have turned out to be this year, but it is what it is."
That was not all. Winston also offered an apology to his fans.
I apologize to the fans. I know some of them want to see me out there. But I think winning makes a lot of things better, so we need to go out there and start with this week, get a win as a team. No one person makes a team win. We need to get a team win and I think we'll all be better at the end of the day.
It is rare that a player speaks out in such candid fashion. For Winston to do so means that he is really hurting and really disappointed.
He wishes Allen honored his word. And considering that the Saints are 3-7 through 10 games, he wants a chance to lead New Orleans to a win.