Winston didn’t leave behind his college troubles. He’s likely to be suspended this fall for a 2016 incident. After that, Winston needs to deliver on the field. Or else….
Us elders remember the days of our glorious youth and having the feeling of invincibility. I remember my high school and college days. “Big Men” on campus got special treatment and had the impression that certain rules didn’t apply to them.
Youth gives us the excuse of being stupid and making dumb mistakes. However, at some point, we need to grow up and learn that we don’t get a free pass.
Passing the football is what Jameis Winston does for a living. Unfortunately, he has a sketchy past when it comes to passing collegiate rules and NFL policy. His behavior has been in question for about six years.
Now, let me be clear! Accusations are one thing and convictions are another. This isn’t a Jameis Winston-bashing article. It’s an article about getting down to the root of what’s going on with a high-profile athlete. His behavior is one of those things.
Despite success at Florida State, I never thought Winston would become an elite NFL quarterback. Tampa Bay did, though, and selected him with the first overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft.
The organization knew he was a risky choice–given his history and also that Oregon’s Marcus Mariota was an alternative pick. Despite Winston’s checkered past and long-ball accuracy issues, the team felt he was the best fit for what the franchise was trying to accomplish. But lurking in the background were behavioral issues…
November 25th, 2012 – A woman calls 911 to report that two men were riding bikes around the FSU campus with what appeared to be a pistol. Those individuals were Jameis Winston and teammate Chris Casher. They were questioned and released by the authorities after explaining they were shooting squirrels with a pellet gun. But later that evening, two other Seminole players began a pellet gun battle at their home, which caused more than $4,000 worth of damage. FSU leadership refused to press charges and an athletic official promised that the student/athletes would pay for the damages.
Courtesy: CBS Sports
December 7th, 2012 – Less than a month later, Jameis Winston was accused of raping a woman. The alleged victim reported the incident that night but didn’t identify Winston as the culprit until another five weeks had passed. Due to the alleged victims’ lack of cooperation, the case was dropped. The information was sent to the State Attorney, where insufficient, substantial evidence kept that office from filing criminal charges.
July 21st, 2013 – Winston went to a Burger King and asked a cashier for a cup of water. Winston was then seen dumping the water and replacing it with soda … several times. It was yet another red flag–a display of poor choice-making. No charges were filed.
April 29th, 2014 – Winston was accused of stealing about $33 worth of crab legs from a local supermarket. Winston told the police he simply forgot to pay. But this time Winston suffered consequences. He was suspended from the team until he finished community service. He also received a civil citation for the incident.
September 16th, 2014 – Several witnesses saw Winston standing on a campus table yelling sexual expletives. Head Coach Jimbo Fisher suspended Winston for the first half of the following week’s game.
So, see what I mean when I say “young, dumb, and feeling untouchable”? College athletes, like Jameis Winston, can get a big head. Girls chase them. The press is all over them. Every guy wants to be them. They’re considered athletic royalty.
But a trap often looms. For Winston, it was a 2016 incident with a Uber driver. She claimed that Winston groped her. A teammate took the Uber with Winston, but didn’t verify whether the QB acted inappropriately.
Given the NFL’s zero-tolerance policy regarding sexual abuse, it’s likely that Winston will be suspended for at least three games in 2018.
Has Winston grown up since? Well, what we know for sure is that there haven’t been public instances of bad behavior since then.
But let’s also recognize that Winston, who’s entering his 4th professional football season, is playing for his job. Winston was expected to become an upper-tier quarterback, but that hasn’t happened. …at least not yet….
If Winston doesn’t take a giant leap forward this season, there’s likely to be yet another chapter written in the Jameis Winston story. That’s because pro football is a business. That business is based on winning. It’s also about management getting a return on its investment.
Winston needs to deliver on the field. It’s that simple.
I thought Winston would be a stud and I humbly admit I was wrong. He has a lot of work to do to restore his status as a quarterback and to do a 180 on his social life. He has time to do so but character is an issue.