Former Bucs QB Jameis Winston Comments On Jon Gruden's Involvement With The Saints

Gruden had some criticism for the former No. 1 overall pick.

There have been a lot of changes in the NFC South this offseason with three of the four clubs expected to field new starting quarterbacks in 2023. That includes down in New Orleans after the team signed former Las Vegas Raiders star Derek Carr to a four-year/$150 million deal in March.

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The move effectively relegated former No. 1 overall pick and Buccaneers quarterback, Jameis Winston, to the backup role. Coming off a season where he was plagued by injuries, Winston is working towards getting his body right.

Last month, another familiar face for Tampa Bay fans, former head coach and Super Bowl XXXVII Champion, Jon Gruden, stopped by to help out the team's rival. Gruden's presence was to assist head coach Dennis Allen, Carr, and the rest of the quarterbacks with picking up the new offensive philosophy. 

"I just think anytime you get one of the greatest minds in NFL history to come in and spend some time with you, you just soak up everything that you can possibly soak up," Winston said in an interview with WGNO-TV. "I just think his presence and his approach to the game is something I really took in."

"I'm just grateful that he was able to come in and share some of that information with us," Winston added.

Gruden spent time with each of the quarterbacks during the visit. He had some criticism for Winston that caught his attention, referring to him as a bobblehead quarterback.

"He talked about, sitting with me specifically, about being a bobblehead quarterback," Winston said. "Not being able to say what you really like, what you really love about a concept or a certain play and not just saying, 'yes I'm fine with it' and that's something that really resonated with me."

So what exactly does that mean and how can Winston apply those lessons to his game moving forward?

"We have a lot on our plate but we have the choice to say 'hey, I like this' or 'hey, I don't like that' and sometimes when you believe that you can do anything at any moment, you might like a play, but you might not necessarily love a play and obviously as a play caller, you want to call plays that your quarterback loves," Winston said. "Just that communication, that direct communication with your offensive coordinator about what you really love allows him to go into a game with no stress. When you can have that accountability with a play, you can go out there and execute it better."

Winston took a pay cut to remain in New Orleans earlier this year. He believes that he still has the talent to be a starting signal-caller in the NFL.

During his career, Winston has appeared in 86 games, with 80 starts, completing 1,738/2835 passes (61.3%) for 21,840 yards with 139 touchdowns to 96 interceptions. 

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