The Cleveland Browns have been looking for a bonafide starting quarterback since the franchise re-organized in 1999. They ran through 37 names before this season, and now it’s 38 after former Florida State Seminole Jameis Winston suited up to take the place of the injured Deshaun Watson.
Winston is known for being a character – on and off the field – and a veritable quote machine for the media.
Watson is certainly done for the season after blowing out his Achilles against the Bengals, and after a contentious two seasons, he may be done with the Browns for good. Or at least they’re done with him. We’ll see about that.
But in the meantime, Winston is here to save the day. In Winston’s first start, Cleveland eclipsed the 30-point mark and 300-yard mark for the first time all season and beat the division rival Baltimore Ravens at the same time.
Even if that success doesn’t continue, at least we have “Winstonisms” to fall back on.
“Bro, listen, this is who I am.” Winston said. “Like a lot of people, if you spend time trying to figure out, ‘Who is this guy?’ You’re wasting your time, all right? That’s just who I am. I’m not rehearsing things. What I am rehearsing is our plays. If you want to hear me, call a play call out, I’ll rehearse that for you. I am doing that in the mirror. I am having my wife call out plays and stuff like that. So, if you want to see some rehearsal stuff, find me going over the playbook.”
Watson’s most famous quote from a pregame speech – “Eat a W” – was turned into a t-shirt megahit.
“It started with alphabet soup, you know?” Winston said. “I’ve always done ‘Eat a W.’ Because alphabet soup is, growing up in the hood, you’re going to eat the alphabet soup. So, I’m only eating the W.”