Jameis Winston: Five reasons he is the next great QB in the NFL
By John Buhler
1. The Intrinsic Qualities of a Champion
This is something that is not learned. It is part of a player’s DNA, to understand the magnitude of the biggest moments in a game and delivering. This is sometimes referred to as the clutch gene and Jameis Winston absolutely has it.
As a redshirt freshman at Florida State, Winston emerged as the undisputed leader of the football team with a fiery pre-game speech before playing division rival Clemson in Death Valley. From that point on, it was obvious that Winston had the intrinsic qualities of a champion that few possess.
When the game is on the line, Winston isn’t afraid to fail and that is why he succeeds more often than most. It’s a level of focus and a high level of self-confidence to rally his teammates to perform at their highest level when the game needs them to.
It’s almost a charismatic leadership style, but it proves itself out on the gridiron more than just the intrinsic quality itself. Many great players never understand where a game can be won and lost. In football it is more obvious than in other sports, but even then some players cannot grasp the concept of performing in big moments.
Winston showcased this intellectual skill both in Hueytown, Alabama and in Tallahassee, Florida. Though the Buccaneers may end up falling short of making the 2015 NFC Playoffs, what they have in Winston under center is something special nearly all franchises would covet to have in their starting quarterback. Winston continues to deliver in big moments of games.