Jameis Winston showed the utmost respect for fellow quarterback Baker Mayfield after the two spent the 2023 at NFC South rivals.
Winston, a former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback from 2015 to 2019 signed with the Cleveland Browns recently. That’s where Mayfield started his career in 2018 after the Browns took him No. 1 in the draft.
Mayfield rebuilt his career in Tampa last season while Winston ended his tenure as the backup with the New Orleans Saints. Winston got a sideline seat to Mayfield’s turnaround when the Buccaneers swept the Saints in 2023.
“He is a beast, man,” Winston told Theo Von on the ‘This Past Weekend” podcast on Tuesday. “There are so many stories like that, man. So many stories. You hear about people pushing through. You will come out on the other side.”
Mayfield got traded by the Browns in 2022 to the Carolina Panthers, which didn’t work out for the former Oklahoma star. The Panthers released Mayfield after a 1-5 record in December 2022.
July 2022: Browns trade Baker Mayfield to Panthers
Dec 2022: Panthers release Mayfield, Rams claim him
March 2023: Mayfield becomes free agent; signs with Bucs
Dec 2023: Mayfield has 24 Pass TD/8 INT for 1st place Bucs
He found new footing with the Los Angeles Rams where he went 1-3 and completed 63.6% of his passes for 850 yards and four touchdowns versus two interceptions. Mayfield signed with the Buccaneers in March 2023 after Tom Brady‘s retirement.
Mayfield led the Buccaneers to a 9-8 record, NFC South title, and NFC Divisional Round appearance. He completed 64.3% of his passes for 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns versus 10 picks.
Baker Mayfield, Jameis Winston Have Polar Opposite Starts in Tampa
Mayfield’s success in Tampa led him to the biggest contract of his career — a three-year, $100 million deal. He looks to keep builiding on what he started in Tampa after re-signing in March.
“So that’s the goal here is to try and win a couple [Super Bowls],” Mayfield told reporters on March 13.
Things didn’t work out that way for Winston, the Buccaneers’ No. 1 pick in 2015. Winston never led Tampa Bay to the playoffs, which led to his free agency exit and Brady’s free agency arrival in 2020.
That’s despite monster numbers by Winston such as three seasons with more than 4,000 yards, and his 33-touchdown season in 2019. He was turnover prone along the way with 14 or more interceptions in three of his first four seasons, and Winston’s 30-interception season in 2019 sent things careening for the former Florida State star.
Jameis Winston Still Rebuilding NFL Career
🚨 JAMEIS WINSTON TD 🚨
(via @NFL)
Winston sat behind Drew Brees with the Saints in 2020, but opportunity arrived in 2021 with Brees’ retirement. An ACL injury ended Winston’s chance that year as he finished with 1,170 yards passing for 14 touchdowns versus three interceptions.
In 2022, Winston saw time as he completed 63.5% of his passes for 858 yards and four touchdowns versus five interceptions as injury interrupted things again. New Orleans then signed Derek Carr in 2023, which kept Winston on the bench.
Now, Winston hopes to make the most of chance in Cleveland behind DeShaun Watson — the quarterback whom the Browns traded for prior to Mayfield’s exit.
“The most important thing, I believe, is the relationship between me and Deshaun is in a place where it will continue to grow and flourish. And I just admire him as a person and definitely as a football player,” Winston told Von.
“I look forward to allowing him to lean on me for anything that he needs and also encouraging him and providing him with different resources that he probably hasn’t gotten for people that have been in the same room as him … just serving him and this team, the best way that I can,” Winston added.
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Ex-Buccaneers QB Jamies Winston Makes Bold Statement on Baker Mayfield