The greatest coach in Florida State football history had a strong take on one of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the program.
Bobby Bowden, who coached the program for 34 years, had the following comments regarding current Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (via ESPN’s Paul Finebaum on Twitter).
I think it’s a consensus among FSU fans and boosters that he was an embarrassment to the University.
Now those are some strong words right there. Unless you have been hiding under a rock for the past couple years, Winston’s off-field exploits while in Tallahassee have been well documented. From a serious accusation of sexual assault (never charged) to minor infractions such as stealing crab legs and yelling obscenities on campus, Winston’s Florida State career is best known for what happened off the field.
Despite this, he did lead the Seminoles to a National Championship and earned the Heisman Trophy during his time with the program.
Considering that Bowden is seen as royalty within the college football world, his comments have to be taken seriously. Not only is he among the most successful head coaches in the history of the country, he’s widely respected.
Still, I find it hard to believe that most Seminoles fans would agree with Bowden’s assessment.
During his 34 years at Florida State, Bowden earned two National Championships and led the program to a whopping 12 ACC titles. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
As it relates to Winston, he just looking to put Florida State behind him. This probably won’t help.
Photo: USA Today Sports