The Cleveland Browns benched Jameis Winston during a 21-7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and it’s unclear if he’ll be able to regain the starting role.
Winston tossed three interceptions in the loss and was yanked in the second half for second-year quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson. He also lost a fumble after being sacked.
The Browns were still well within striking distance when Winston was pulled. But Cleveland wanted to see if Thompson-Robinson could provide them with a spark. He made a few solid plays but threw an interception when the Browns were driving late.
After the game, Stefanski avoided naming a starting quarterback moving forward.
“I’m not gonna get into any decisions right now,” Stefanski said. “This is not about one person. I want to make that very clear. Jameis does a great job preparing for these games. He’s fighting his tail off, and I appreciate that from him, but we’ll make that decision [of who will start going forward] later.”
As a team, the Browns turned the ball over six times against the defending Super Bowl champions.
“You cannot turn the ball over six times and expect to win the game, at any level,” Stefanski said. “What we’re doing in terms of adding a degree of difficulty, it’s tough to win. It’s everybody. It’s not one person.”
Jameis Winston’s Turnovers Put Him on Thin Ice With Browns
There’s no doubt Winston provided some good things for the Browns offense. He sparked the unit that was previously lifeless with Deshaun Watson under center. Winston has averaged better than 300 yards passing as the starter and even set the franchise single-game record against the Denver Broncos (497 yards).
However, turnovers have been Winston’s bugaboo for his entire career. He has tossed eight interceptions over his last three games. Stefanski stuck with Winston as the starter against the Chiefs but made his point on interceptions very clear ahead of the game.
“I look at it as we need to play better as an offense to help our team win,” Stefanski said. “We don’t want to give the ball away in any form or fashion. We don’t want to fumble it away. We don’t want to throw interceptions. But we also coach each play because each play is a little bit different than the last. So, like I’ve said to you guys before, not all interceptions are created equal, and all we can do with any play is learn from them. And that’s what Jameis will continue to do.”
Browns QB Jameis Winston Playing for NFL Future
At just 30 years old and a former No. 1 overall pick, Winston had a prime opportunity to revive his career as a starting quarterback. His ultimate goal was to use the opportunity as a springboard to secure a starting role, either in Cleveland or with another team.
“Every game that I get an opportunity to go out there and play is important to me, and this game is the most important because it’s the next game,” Winston said. “And obviously, I want to put on a great performance just for my career, for this team, and truly be the best I possibly can.”
Winston now faces an uphill battle to get his job back, let alone land another one.
