Amid all the hoopla and hubbub surrounding Tom Brady's arrival in Tampa Bay, the five-season roller coaster that was Jameis Winston's stay as franchise quarterback came to an end minus any true formality.
On Saturday morning, Winston let it be known via Twitter that he was thankful for his time with the Buccaneers and on the lookout to still achieving his dreams of winning a Super Bowl.
Beginning in 2015 when the Bucs spent the No. 1 overall pick on him in the draft, Winston has taken Tampa on a ride of thrills and spills, ending a run of 72 games' worth of action with a 28-42 record as a starter, 121 touchdowns and 88 interceptions.
Perhaps no season was more emblematic of Winston than the most recent 2019 campaign, in which he set the franchise record with 5,109 yards and also became the first player with 30 or more touchdown passes and 30 or more interceptions in the same year. He had 33 TDs and a league-leading 30 picks.
Now, the Bucs have turned the NFL upside down with the addition of Brady -- who has 29 combined interceptions over the past four seasons.
For Winston, he's among the biggest quarterback names looking for a suitor -- along with likely trade-or-release candidates Cam Newton and Andy Dalton.
With few starting spots looking to be open, Winston's road would seem to be an unpredictable one, but that's nothing new. And on Saturday, he gave his "love and respect" for the five years behind him while letting it be known he wasn't done dreaming or aiming for the next Super Bowl.
