Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston was suspended for the entire Clemson game after yet another off-field incident, this time on campus in Tallahassee. (via Fox Sports).
From a sexual assault allegation (wasn’t charged) and being cited for stealing crabs legs to a BB gun battle with friends, Winston’s off-field antics have drawn widespread criticism.
Fellow Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow addressed Winston’s situation and had some words of advice for the young quarterback on ESPN following Winston’s suspension.
I hope he can see that and understand that these kids are going to watch him and they’re going to follow him and it’s his responsibility to lead them in a good direction. And that’s my prayer for him.
As the face of the program, Winston has a duty to represent Florida State in the best light. He also has a responsibility to avoid letting the team down. Missing a game against a top-25 conference rival when ranked No. 1 in the nation is a prime example of letting your team down.
Tebow expanded on his thoughts…
Well, I have two sisters and a mom and what was said just isn’t okay. My hope and my prayer for Jameis is that he can find wise counsel and that he can find people that will invest in him and invest in his life.
He has something to live for that’s more important than just the moment because when you live for the moment, the moment will always let you down in silly situations like he’s been in in the past.
In reality, Tebow and Winston could be the modern-day Odd Couple. They don’t seem to have anything in common as it relates to character traits, but this could work in Winston’s advantage if he decides to listen to the former Florida quarterback.
Regardless of your opinion of Tebow as a football player, there is little question that he’s always maintained a professional and mature attitude, even dating back to his freshman days at Florida when he was sharing first-team reps with Chris Leak.
While it may sound crazy, heeding advice and potentially seeking out help from Tebow might very well be what Winston needs at this point.
Photo: Fox Sports