In this July 20, 2014, file photo, Florida State’s Jameis Winston answers a question during a news conference at the Atlantic Coast Conference Football kickoff in Greensboro, N.C. Winston has made lewd comments about women and Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher says he is deciding whether to bench the Seminoles’ quarterback for his “derogatory” remarks. Several students tweeted Winston stood on campus Tuesday and shouted a lascivious comment that may have derived from an internet meme. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File)
His interviews come off as brash and confusing. His off-field actions reek of a juvenile and immature nature. But his on-field play is championship-caliber.
By now, the whole country is tired of hearing the name Jameis Winston. Florida State’s volatile signal-caller didn’t sit out of the Seminoles’ 23-17 overtime win over Clemson on Sept. 20 because of injury or poor academics. He was suspended for the game for jumping on a lunch table in the school’s student union and yelling an offensive sexual outburst. It was silly and childish, but his record as a Seminole speaks louder than his latest mistake.
The 20-year old football phenom took the collegiate world by storm as a redshirt freshman in 2013, completing 25 of 27 passes with five touchdowns in his debut, a 41-13 throttling of Pittsburgh on the road. From there, he guided Florida State to a 14-0 record and a BCS Championship—but his magical season wasn’t without controversy. A petty soda-stealing incident at a Burger King the summer before the season went mostly unremarked. But amid Florida State’s championship campaign, Winston was named as an assailant in a sexual assault incident which allegedly occurred months earlier. An investigation followed, and Winston escaped unscathed despite massive media attention on the case. Finally, a shoplifting incident at a Tallahassee grocery store in April established a pattern that there just might be something wrong with Winston.As word spread of the most recent table-jumping episode, public and media opinion of “Famous Jameis” seemed to swing.
In this Aug. 30, 2014, file photo, Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston rolls out of the pocket in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma State in Arlington, Texas. Florida State has suspended Winston for the entire game against Clemson on Saturday, Sept 20, extending its initial punishment of one half after the quarterback made “offensive and vulgar” comments about female anatomy earlier this week. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)
Winston will be eligible for the NFL draft following this season. A Heisman Trophy winner and national champion, Winston has the resume to be the potential No. 1 pick—or, at least, he could have been. In the days after his suspension was announced, reports suggested that some NFL clubs have removed his name from their draft boards altogether. With the recent rash of criminal charges and scandals involving NFL players, it’s completely understandable why a club wouldn’t take a chance on the quarterback.
An NFL quarterback is the face of the team—a strong-armed and athletic CEO, almost. The first person that anybody sees or thinks about on any professional football club is the quarterback. Considering the current climate of the NFL =, how could any general manager be comfortable touting Winston as “our guy.” Winston’s act has gone stale, even to the most faithful of Florida State fans. A sure-fire first round selection after his championship run; Winston’s flame, being already being diminished by his previous antics, could become extinguished in the upcoming NFL draft should he allow another incident to occur.
The NFL is changing before our eyes. Football players can no longer get away with “murder” based solely on their athletic set. Higher standards have been set and are already being enforced. Frankly, Winston’s collegiate behavior is scary considering the level to which it might escalate when he goes pro and obtains a pocket full of money and power beyond his wildest dreams. While his talent is undeniable, his behavior, actions and lazy attitude toward his own shortcomings might be enough for the NFL to close its doors on this troubled college star.
