CLEVELAND, Ohio – I received this email from Al:
“With the addition of another sexual predator as the backup QB, now it doesn’t matter. The fans and locker room can all take a deep breath and not care who is in charge.”
That is one of the milder responses from fans about the Browns signing Jameis Winston as their backup QB. Winston had several incidents with women dating back to his days at Florida State and his early years with the Tampa Bay Bucs.
Stories by Terry Pluto
“In 2012, while still at Florida State, Winston was accused of sexual assault by fellow FSU student Erica Kinsman,” wrote Luke Easterling for BucsGameday. “Winston was never formally charged with a crime, and the state attorney’s office declined to pursue a criminal case against him. In 2016, Winston settled a federal lawsuit with Kinsman over the charges.”
There was more.
“In 2017, Winston was accused of groping a female Uber driver in March of 2016,” wrote Easterling. “Winston’s accuser did not seek criminal charges, but an NFL investigation of the allegations resulted in a three-game suspension after the league found the accuser’s account of the events to be ‘consistent and credible.’ Winston would eventually settle a lawsuit with the accuser in this case, as well.”
That’s the history.
It doesn’t help Browns fans embrace their new backup QB – especially after bringing in the controversial Deshaun Watson in 2022 when he was facing more than 30 civil lawsuits for sexual misconduct with massage therapists.
Jameis Winston appears to have changed his life since joining the New Orleans Saints in 2020. AP
THE REST OF THE STORY
As you read this, keep in mind Winston was not among my choices for backup QB. I was in the Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew and Joe Flacco camp. Out of that group, Brissett would have been my favorite.
Brissett signed for $8 million with New England, where his offensive coordinator is old friend Alex Van Pelt. He also has a chance to start.
My doubts about Winston are not linked to his character. Once in a while, a person can change. That appears to have happened to Winston. The last story about his problems with women was the 2017 Uber case. It led to the three-game suspension in 2018.
So that’s six years ago.
I can’t find anything else, other than Winston has emerged as a beloved figure during his four years with the Saints (2020-23). It’s not the image many of us have of the new Browns QB.
Jameis Winston has spent a lot of time working with young men in New Orleans. AP
HAS WINSTON CHANGED?
In 2023, Winston was named the Saints’ winner of the Ed Block Courage Award. That’s for coming back from injuries. But the award also mentioned:
“Outside of football, Winston has been one of the team’s community leaders since first signing with New Orleans in 2020. In 2021, following Southeast Louisiana’s extensive damage suffered from Hurricane Ida, Winston donated $50,000 to the United Way of Southeast Louisiana, collaborated to raise funds for the World Central Kitchen to provide meals to those in need, as well as supplying bottled water, drinks, snacks and construction supplies to local first responders.
“On July 25, 2022, prior to the start of training camp, Winston made a surprise visit to the football team at George Washington Carver High School. Winston spent significant time with the young men, discussing his personal tenets of faith, the importance of education and working to achieve dreams. Winston also had the team out to attend a training camp practice, providing them with the opportunity to meet several teammates.
“On Nov. 22, 2022, Winston again took a lead role with his teammates in terms of donations and participation in the team’s annual Thanksgiving turkey giveaway at the Dryades YMCA, providing turkeys, sides and fixings for holiday meals to hundreds in need.”
A week before he agreed to join the Browns, Winston did this, according to a story by Tina Howell for Canal Street Chronicles, SB Nation’s Saints website.
“QB Jameis Winston hosted a private screening of the new Mark Wahlberg film, ‘Arthur the King’ for over 100 young men from Son of a Saint as well as Junior Zulu’s and families of military veterans at AMC Theatres Clearview in Metairie. Arthur the King is an inspirational film about an adventure racer (Wahlberg) who adopts a stray dog named Arthur to join him in an epic endurance race ... Winston told the group prior to the screening, ‘On a team, you got to have your teammates backs.’”
WHAT TO MAKE OF WINSTON?
I don’t know Winston, but I do know he is revered for his character in New Orleans. He has spoken in churches and other places about how faith has changed his life. His actions off the field in that town are impressive.
Granted, that is a common theme from celebrities. They messed up. They got God. They are different now.
Then a few years or even months later, they mess up again – sometimes even worse than in the past.
As for Winston, I can’t find anything negative since that suspension in 2018 for a 2017 incident.
New Orleans columnist Jeff Duncan (NOLA.com) posted this on X, formerly Twitter:
“One final story about Jameis Winston ... He was recently invited to the wedding of one of the Saints equipment managers. Not only did he, along with his wife and a few teammates, attend the service, but he addressed the reception party afterward and blessed the marriage. Jameis Winston goes from one ardent fan base to another. Browns fans are going to love him in Cleveland.”
We’ll have a chance to find out if that’s true because when people make dramatic changes in their lives, every day is a test.
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