Saints quarterback Jameis Winston won't return to the field this season, but he hit a significant benchmark in his recovery from a knee injury in Week 8.
Winston underwent successful surgery to repair damage suffered from the injury, according to a report from NOLA.com. He had already been released from the hospital as of Saturday, and was expected to watch the Saints game from the Los Angeles area.
The Saints quarterback's injury came in the second quarter of a victory over the Tampa Bay Bucs, suffered after Winston escaped from the pocket. He was pulled down from behind by Tampa Bay linebacker Devin White, who was flagged for a horsecollar tackle and fined the following week.
Backup Trevor Siemian came on in relief and led to the Saints to a victory, retaining the starting job in Week 9 against the Falcons, and he'll remain under center for Week 10 against the Tennessee Titans.
While the positives in the rehab process are good to see for Winston, his NFL future is anything but determined. He is currently on a 1-year deal with New Orleans, and it remains unclear whether he'd be the quarterback beyond this season. His first six starts had a lot more positives than negatives, going 4-2 with 1,170 yards passing and 14 touchdowns. The most notable number, however, is just three interceptions, correcting the turnover-prone label he's carried for much of his NFL career.
