The Tampa Bay Bucs’ Jameis Winston is coming off a 30-30 season. Unlike in baseball, those stats are not flattering to a quarterback.
So, what did the former Heisman winner from Florida State do this offseason to try and improve his game, which saw him throw for 30 TDs and interceptions in 2019? How about undergoing LASIK surgery to correct his eyesight troubles.
“Jameis did not want to count out any options that he had that could possibly help him with the game he loves so much,” said Denise White, Winston’s spokesperson. “He doesn’t want to miss out on any opportunity that presents itself. This is the game he loves and he wants to be the best at it and if there are any options that can improve his game he is willing to do it.”
The speculation began when Winston posted a photo on Instagram of him wearing oversized sunglasses.
Jameis Winston got his his eyesight corrected…yes, he got LASIK surgery following his 30 INT season 🙃 pic.twitter.com/cFWYiWeaa0
— DailySportsDosage (@OfficalDSD) February 12, 2020
Winston follows in a tradition set by Vinny Testaverde, another Heisman winner from the Sunshine State — Miami — who was a Buccaneers No. 1 overall pick, too, in 1987.
Testaverde blamed his interceptions on being color blind.
His worst moment, though, may have occurred in 1990, when Testaverde admitted to television commentator Terry Bradshaw that he was colorblind.
Tampa fans had a field day. A bright blue billboard appeared shortly afterward: “Vinny thinks this is orange.”
“Before I won the Heisman Trophy, no one said a word about me being colorblind,” said Testaverde. “A lot of people think that when you’re colorblind, you can’t see anything but black and white. That’s not true. The definition should be color-confused. It’s more of getting confused about certain colors within shades of other colors, like red or green.
“It really has nothing to do with playing on Sundays. One team is in dark jerseys, the other in white. And if some people have a problem with my condition, that’s their problem, not mine. There is nothing I can do about it.”
Winston has found something he can do about his problem and can only hope it winds up in correcting his habit of throwing to the opposition.