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Pro Bowlers talk Bucs and Jameis

Players feel Winston should return to Tampa Bay.

NFL: Pro Bowl-NFC at AFC Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Quarterback Jameis Winston wasn’t at the 2020 Pro Bowl. But that doesn’t mean the young signal caller wasn’t a topic of some conversations.

Pewter Report’s Mark Cook spoke to several players at the Pro Bowl, including Colts linebacker Darius Leonard who ripped the media for never giving Winston enough credit.

“You know what you didn’t say? All of his touchdowns. He is a great quarterback and a lot of you all (in the media) don’t give him enough credit. Yes, he throws interceptions, but what quarterback doesn’t? You can look at a lot of the Hall of Fame quarterbacks and they had years where they threw 25 or more interceptions. He is a great quarterback and has been nothing but great since coming into the league. You all need to give him his respect.”

Defensive lineman Calais Campbell, who played for Bruce Arians in Arizona, mentioned that Winston’s accomplishment of throwing over 5,000 yards and 30-plus touchdowns this past season was “incredible.” He also added if he were the Buccaneers general manager he would bring him back. Darius Slay, Dalvin Cook, and Budda Baker felt the same way.

But the respect didn’t stop there. NFC South rivals Drew Brees and Cameron Jordan also weighed-in on Jameis Winston in the video below. Bress said he talked to Winston just the other day and wished him the best while Jordan said a player as competitive as Winston is is a “dangerous thing.”

Perhaps it’s Winston’s 19:1 touchdown to interception ratio in the red zone that earned the respect of his peers. Maybe it’s just his competitive nature. Bottom line, Winston seems to be gaining respect around the league and will undoubtedly play successfully in the years to come. We just don’t know where.

(h/t JoeBucsFan on the video from Fox 13)