Jameis Winston 'Ready For a Win' Ahead of First Giants Starting Assignment

Jameis Winston's original purpose with the New York Giants might've been better suited for the court of Arthur Ashe Stadium rather than the turf of the Meadowlands.

In his own words, "serving" got Winston through a rare idle period on his NFL ledger, as he had spent the first 10 weeks of his 11th NFL season as the Giants' emergency third quarterback.

But with the Giants in need of a pick-me-up after Jaxson Dart's concussion in Chicago and the in-season firing of head coach Brian Daboll, the blue offensive ship now belongs to Winston, whose metropolitan career officially begins on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers (1 p.m. ET, FOX).

With Dart still stationed in concussion protocol, the 31-year-old Winston was granted starting duties by interim head coach Mike Kafka. Sunday will mark his first start since he was one of the latest poor souls to assume the cursed throne that is Cleveland Browns top thrower last December.

Despite frequently flashing his trademark smile, Winston was perhaps always destined to be an odd man out of sorts as long as he stayed stationed on the Giants' roster: fellow veteran newcomer Russell Wilson was granted the opening day job from the get-go and it was fully clear that both of them were keeping the seat warm for Dart, the 2025 first-round pick envisioned as the future franchise man.

But being stranded on the sidelines didn't deny Winston a metropolitan purpose, as he was proud to put a label on his efforts in absentia while he and the Giants prepped for the Pack.

"[I was] serving every single day as best as I can, and that's not going to change," Winston said. "I'm still going to continue to serve my teammates and do all I can do with what I have knowing that there is more ...

"I might not be on the field, but I'm playing the game. That's just the love and passion that I have for this game. I'm always playing the game. I might not be playing the game physically and don't you say that we're not speaking that. But I'm playing the game. Every single game I'm out there prepared to play."

Despite the lack of evidence in his box score, Winston's service took on several animated forms: well-regarded for his lively on-field persona, 2015's top draft pick was often the first to greet either Dart or Wilson after scoring drives.

Winston carried such antics to his first public statements as the blue starting quarterback, rendering the Giants' dire state nearly forgotten.

His enthusiasm ranged from numerous references to the "New York Football Giants" to quoting the musical Hamilton in honor of its 10th anniversary.

His optimism, to a near-fault, broached the subject of a win over the contending Packers, as Winston believes the Giants (2-8) are long overdue for one despite current events.

"I think we are just ready for a win," Winston firmly stated. I think it's tough when you guys don't get a win. I think this city, this stadium, we are willing to do any and everything for the New York Football Giants to be celebrating at the end of the day. We know a good football team is coming in, but it's not about them. It's about us playing our very best."

"It's not about our circumstance, conditions, and facts with our coach and with new changes. It's about us being grateful for the Maras [owners of the Giants] giving us this opportunity to put on a uniform. This is what we signed up for. So whether we're 10-0, 2-7, or 2-8, we signed up to do this. So, we have to be willing to do more than what we're required to do when they gave us this opportunity."

The bond between the aerial trio and beyond has been further strengthened through Bible study, where Winston and several other teammates were when they received word of Daboll's firing. The widely varied juxtaposition of the events —a whirlwind that culminated in Kafka naming him the starting quarterback —afforded Winston a moment of reflection, grace, and gratitude.

"I'm so happy and grateful I was in that position because I was in a state of gratitude and of deep listening," Winston noted.

"It happened so fast when the decision was made and we were made aware of it that I really didn't have time to really think. I just thought okay, there's a seed of good in everything."

"I immediately just thought about how grateful I was for Brian Daboll of believing in me to seek me and give my family a chance to be in New Jersey and New York and experience this. And now I'm the starting NFL quarterback."

Winston's service now takes on a bit of a bittersweet aura: the Heisman winner's gunslinging antics are perhaps the most attractive aspect the rest of this Giants season has to offer, as even the most cynical fan will likely tune to see what can do, especially in a setting where there's nothing to lose anymore.

"Who's going to focus on being the solution? Who's going to focus on doing all that they can do to be the solution for this team?" Winston said of his mindset as he prepares to oversee these dire final hours.

"I'm just taking it one day at a time, one play at a time, and I'm encouraging everyone else, just do your best. That's all the fans want. The fans just want us to come out there and do our very best, and when we come out and execute and do our very best, we're a tough team to beat."

With Winston in tow, the Giants' remnants should at least carry some from of a flair for the dramatics: since his NFL entry with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2015, Winston is one of four throwers (alongside Derek Carr, Kirk Cousins, and Matthew Stafford) to reach triple digits in both touchdowns and interceptions.

Whereas the accompanying trio each needed at least 150 games to reach such numbers, Winston has done so in but 105 appearances (87 starts).

What happens next with the NY Giants? Find out! Follow and like us on Facebook. Visit our YouTube channel for the latest videos. Want to send a question in for our mailbag? You can do so here.

More New York Giants Coverage