The NFL Draft has come and gone, but an interesting footnote has emerged via Sports Illustrated‘s Richard Deitsch on Jameis Winston stiff-arming ESPN when he was drafted #1 overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Apparently ESPN was supposed to have the first interviews with the odd numbered picks this year, Winston at #1 obviously being the most important. However, SI reports that Winston declined an interview with ESPN initially and instead first spoke with NFL Network. This was done because Winston (and presumably his camp) haven’t been happy with ESPN’s coverage of his many off-field controversies at Florida State:
Two NFL media sources told SI.com that Winston’s camp, which was upset at the network’s overall coverage of the top pick prior to the draft, declined to grant ESPN the first post-draft interview. Instead, Winston spoke with the NFL Network’s Steve Wyche around the time Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota was being selected at No. 2 by the Tennessee Titans. The Winston interview aired on the NFL Network after the fifth overall selection.
Rinaldi eventually interviewed Winston but that interview never ran during the draft telecast. Instead, it ran on SportsCenter after the opening round of the draft concluded last Thursday. Why that decision? Because by the time ESPN got the interview, it was six or so picks into the draft and ESPN executives, sources said, decided it made no sense to show an interview then with the top pick.
On Sunday, ESPN senior coordinating producer Seth Markman declined to comment on the specifics of the Winston interview, as did NFL Network executive producer Eric Weinberger. (Winston’s agent, Greg Genske, responded to an email from SI.com on Monday morning: “On the night Jameis joined the NFL, it was simply our preference that his first interview be with NFL Network,” Genske said. “A few seconds later, Jameis enjoyed his interview with Tom Rinaldi and looks forward to future interviews with ESPN.”).
Had Winston been at the draft site, it’s likely the NFL, which is a partner in this agreement, would have stepped in and prompted Team Winston to talk first with ESPN.
The whole “ESPN is anti-Jameis Winston and anti-Florida State” theories got a little out of hand last year with some Seminole fans even attempting a protest of ESPN at College GameDay. Let’s be realistic though, it’s not like there haven’t been ample opportunities to question Winston or criticize him for his off-field behavior. Winston wasn’t an NFL player, so NFL Network really didn’t have an opportunity to dive into all the controversy that has plagued him over the last few years.
In the present, this snub really isn’t that big of a deal, even if it seems slightly petty to obstruct the agreement between ESPN and NFL Network. However, what does this say about Winston’s future in the NFL? Winston is going to be in for a rude awakening when he gets to the NFL if he’s going to play games like this every time the media doesn’t do his bidding.