Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston took the field on Sunday with a shot at history. He achieved it fittingly with a record-breaking pick-six in overtime to end the Buccaneers season and a year no one will ever forget.
Winston dropped back on the first play of overtime and could only watch as Atlanta Falcons cornerback Deion Jones snatched the pass and returned it for the game-winning touchdown. The throw not only ended Tampa Bay’s season in a way that defined this team in a nutshell, it instantly made Winston part of NFL history.
On the same day he surpassed the 5,000-yard mark on the season, Winston’s final interception also made him the first quarterback in NFL history to throw 30 touchdowns and 30 interceptions in a single year. It gets even better. It also marked his seventh pick-six thrown this season, putting him all alone for the NFL’s single-season record.
Coming off one of the wildest NFL seasons ever, Winston will be a fascinating free agent to follow this offseason. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. A 5,000-yard season with more than 30 touchdowns is incredible, though not quite as absurd as 30 interceptions in a 16-game season.