Jameis Winston is set to make his return to New Orleans this week as the Browns starting quarterback, and it's a visit viewed with anticipation by his former teammates.
That's true for a few reasons, even if his final official act in a Saints uniform was one of dissent, going against the will of his coaches to get Jamaal Williams a touchdown out of the victory formation.
"I don’t think that was any kind of ill intent," safety Tyrann Mathieu said this week. "He was just trying to get that dude in the end zone."
Mathieu's perspective is an interesting one, considering it was his interception that set the Saints up at the goal line late in a blowout win over the Falcons. If you ask him about the play, he recalls it as the one "where the offensive lineman caught me from behind." He maintains that it wasn't intended to set up the ensuing scenario, but he won't deny his role in it happening. Mathieu could've easily scored, but appeared to slow up late as he contemplated going down in the field of play to effectively end the game.
"I feel like I’ve got a hand in that," he said, before going on to explain that the decision by Winston simply underscores why players are so eager to see him again.
Winston had a lot of supporters in the locker room, even with his third NFL season being spent as the backup to quarterback Derek Carr. He knew what it would mean to Williams to score a touchdown after going the entire season without one and coming off a year where he led the NFL with 17 rushing TDs. Players lobbied for a traditional run on the sideline, but then-head coach Dennis Allen vetoed the idea. Winston, who likely knew at the time his 3-year run with the Saints was over after that game, did his own thing.
"I think he’s one of those guys, like, he’s conscious of what all of us are kind of going through and I think that situation, that particular play is we’ve got a running back back here that had 20 touchdowns the season before that couldn’t get in the paint," Mathieu continued, "and I think that was really the whole purpose of him making that decision. It was really just to get Jamaal a touchdown. I don’t think it came from a bad place. He isn’t that type of guy."
Intentional or not, it was a scenario that marred what would've otherwise been a celebration in a 48-17 win over a bitter rival with Allen addressing it after the game by apologizing to the Falcons and admitting it was not his call. That decision didn't sit well with members of the team, and could certainly be pointed to as the beginning of a slope that led to Allen's firing after a seven game losing streak and ahead of, fittingly, a showdown with the Falcons followed by Winston's return to the Superdome.
Winston went on to sign with the Browns, initially backing up Deshaun Watson but slipping to third on the QB depth chart before taking over after the starting QB suffered a season-ending Achilles injury. Winston made waves in his first start, a 29-24 win over the Ravens, but came back down to earth while throwing three interceptions during a loss to the Chargers.
The Saints now have Darren Rizzi at the helm, who had nothing but positive things to say about the team's former QB.
"He’s got the big-play ability. He’s got an unbelievable leadership quality, he’s just a natural leader," Rizzi said. "So when you kind of infuse that – he did the same thing when he was here. He’s an easy guy to follow because when you talk about energy, his energy is unmatched at times, and so he’s always kind of the same guy everyday."
Carr, who worked with Winston extensively during the 2023 season, echoed the same sentiments.
He’s one of the greatest teammates I’ve ever had in my life. I love Jameis," Carr said. "I texted him the week when he hit the game-winner and all that, I said it couldn’t happen to a better person. He’s an amazing teammate, an amazing friend, he was to me in our time here, and I always root for him."
Well, almost always. Carr and Co. certainly won't be rooting for Winston as he walks back into the Superdome this week, though the crowd response will be interesting as it pertains to the fan-favorite QB.
The defense will certainly be rooting for Jameis in a different way, in that they'll be rooting for him to chuck the ball deep and revert to the interception-laden play that has dogged him throughout his career. In 82 career starts Winston has totaled 102 interceptions. He hasn't started more than 7 games in any season since his final campaign with the Bucs, which featured a 5,000-yard passing campaign and 33 touchdown passes, but also 30 interceptions.
Winston did own the starting job in the 2021 season, Sean Payton's final as head coach, but it was cut short due to a knee injury. He won the job again to start the 2022 season under Allen, but that ended after three games with Andy Dalton taking the reins due to injury, then keeping the job despite Winston returning to health.
There will certainly be motivation for Winston to show what he has against his former team, and Mathieu encourages it.
"I’m expecting a shot, first play of the game, Jameis, so throw it up there," Mathieu said, laughing.
Mathieu just happens to be the NFL's active leader in interceptions with 36, a mark he reached in Week 10 with a clutch pick of Kirk Cousins late in the game. It was one he told me was born from film study and understanding the QB's habits, and knowing that when he finishes his progression and didn't like his options, he likes to get aggressive and target a dig over the middle of the field.
Mathieu hasn't yet had an interception of Winston yet in his illustrious NFL career, and if he has a similar key for this week's matchup he's going to keep that to himself. But the mission is simple.
"We’ve just got to catch the ones that he throws to us," he said.
