Jameis Winston had a successful rookie season that culminated in a Pro Bowl appearance, and he took home a valuable lesson after spending a week alongside Russell Wilson.
According to Peter King of the MMQB, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ fledgling star was impressed with how the Seattle Seahawks standout prepared for the exhibition contest.
“You know, it’s a relaxing event, and he is still doing everything the right way. He is the first one to the huddle, leading guys in stretches, running everywhere you go.”
For all the articles that discuss how little NFL players care about the Pro Bowl — and those are largely true — many representatives take the week seriously once on site. Wilson epitomizes that notion.
Whether that’s because Wilson feels a responsibility to always be a leader and/or simply wants to be ready for the game doesn’t really matter. Besides, that preparation paid off in a major way. Wilson completed 8-of-12 passes for 164 yards and three touchdowns, winning the MVP.
Even though his playing style is different, Wilson is clearly a good role model for a young quarterback like Winston with All-Pro potential.
It’s not really possible to quantify Wilson’s potential impact on Winston. Injuries, coaching changes and other factors affect a player’s level of success more than observing how a player carried himself at practices. Still, that lesson can help Winston develop into a bigger leader for Tampa Bay.
The No. 1 pick of the 2015 draft completed 58.3 percent of his passes last season, tallying 22 touchdowns while tossing 15 interceptions. Winston added 210 yards and six scores on the ground.