The Giants are going a different route at quarterback this week for their game against the Green Bay Packers. With rookie starter Jaxon Dart in concussion protocol and a 36-year-old Russell Wilson the alternative, New York will be trotting out Jameis Winston for the first time this season.
For his part, Micah Parsons holds Winston in high regard for his energy and character through 11 years in the league.
On the sidelines or under center, Winston gives his teams a spark – Parsons knows the Packers will have to come ready
“Famous Jameis, he’s a winner,” Parsons said. “His energy is contagious. The leader he is, contagious. Guys rally around him. I mean, you can tell the guy he is on the sideline, doesn’t matter what uniform he was in.”
New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston (19) warms up before a Thursday Night Football game between the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on Oct. 9, 2025.
The Giants are the fourth team of Winston’s career. Last season in Cleveland he was arguably the best of the Browns’ carousel of quarterbacks. In seven starts and 12 games overall he threw for over two thousand yards and 13 touchdowns. Slinger that he is, interceptions have always been a problem and he added 12 to his tally last year.
His final season in Tampa, who drafted him No. 1 overall in 2015, Winston authored one of the stranger stat lines in modern QB history. His 5,109 passing yards, 626 attempts, and 243 first downs led the league. He threw 33 touchdowns. Winston also paced the field with 30 INTs.
Since then, the Florida State alum and National Champion has occupied a backup role, for four years in New Orleans and then in 2024 with the Browns. Statistically, it was his most notable season since 2021 (1,170 YDS, 14 TDs, 3 INTs).
In recent years Winston has made more of a name for himself due to his personality and charisma than on-field performance. In a backup QB, strong character can be of immense value.
“You see why, a lot of teams need quarterbacks, but [the Giants] held onto him because of how valuable he is in the locker room,” Parsons said. Indeed, with all the injuries, Winston could have stepped in for a number of franchises – including either of his old teams in the Browns and Saints.
Aug 24, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston (5) passes against the Seattle Seahawks during the first quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Succeed or fail, he has a way of galvanizing his teammates when he goes under center. In the short term, that could give New York a badly needed spark, a variable not lost on Parsons. “We just got to be prepared for the Giants’ best game come Sunday.”
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