Jameis Talks Playing For Bruce Arians
February 20th, 2024
No-risk-it, no-biscuit QB.
When the Bucs flipped from Mr. Entertainment, America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, for the great Tom Brady, Jameis’ exit from the Bucs was clouded in secrecy.
Bucco Bruce Arians didn’t want to talk about Jameis’ exit. Arians often bristled when asked about former players not on his roster. Jameis wasn’t the first ex-player he cared not to discuss.
(Joe once asked Arians a series of questions about Calais Campbell, who played for Arians in Arizona. For every question Joe asked, Joe noticed more and more steam coming out of Arians’ ears and Arians’ eyes growing narrower.)
So what went on behind the scenes when Jameis was in his last season with the Bucs? Jameis was asked this when he appeared recently on the “Pardon My Take” podcast.
Jameis initially paused, when asked, looked at the ceiling searching for the right words (a famous Jason Licht move) as you could physically see he didn’t want to say the wrong thing.
Instead, Jameis raved about Arians and what he did for the Bucs. In fact, Jameis painted a picture that Arians was more overseer than worker, more CEO than division manager. Jameis did say that the greatest thing Arians did for the Bucs was bring his Super Bowl-winning culture that he learned from Pittsburgh with him to Tampa.
“It was an amazing experience working with him,” Jameis said. “He was the first person who gave me this vision of being a Super Bowl champion quarterback [back when the two first crossed paths when Jameis was in high school].
“When he got to Tampa I thought, ‘This is it. This is who I have been molded to play for.'”
Jameis in a roundabout way suggested it was not Arians’ fault for him not playing well enough to be retained. The Bucs chose not to re-sign Jameis after the 2019 season and instead signed Tom Brady.
We all know what happened next.
Jameis noted Arians’ no-risk-it; no-biscuit offense was based on the offense attacking the defense, not molding an offensive gameplan to the defense. It sounded very much like Al Davis’ offensive philosophy of, “We’re going to take what we want.”
Jameis really didn’t speak much about getting coached up by Arians but did say he worked directly with former offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and quarterbacks coach Clyde Christensen.
Jameis said it was Leftwich who was calling plays and running meetings. He said knowing he was playing for a former NFL quarterback gave him a form of confidence and it was motivating.
Also, Jameis said playing for Arians and his staff was the most fundamentally and technically sound he has ever been as a quarterback.
Jameis also gave a shoutout to Tom Moore and added Moore was a perfect example of the Super Bowl-winning culture Arians infused One Buc Palace with.
“The level of gratitude [I have] for the people that BA brought in — you see what that team did the year after I left — that was the culture that BA brought in,” Jameis said. “It was preparing the Bucs to ascend.”
Assistant trainers and strength and conditioning coach Anthony Piroli had the same mindset as Arians’ assistants, Jameis said, a championship mentality.
“The trainers and strength coach that he brought in,” Jameis said. “He brought that Super Bowl-winning culture back to the Bucs.”
Arians always said Leftwich was the guy who built the gameplans, ran the meetings and called the plays. Jameis said nothing that differed from Arians’ talking points about who ran the offense.
February 20th, 2024 at 7:33 am
Please share any quotes that Jameis said about Arians no-risk-it no-biscuit offense.
February 20th, 2024 at 7:39 am
So.
February 20th, 2024 at 8:02 am
Why!!!! Why ask I just don’t get it. Of course what would he do except praise him in public but in private the coach didn’t want to sign off on his big contract
February 20th, 2024 at 8:12 am
Will someone ask JW the question we all want answered?
“JW, why do you think you throw so many interceptions?
February 20th, 2024 at 8:18 am
He was looking up at the ceiling trying to decide if he would give an insightful and honest response or instead give safe and empty corporate approved statements. We see which way he went. But I actually like that he gave the former a moment of serious consideration.
February 20th, 2024 at 8:44 am
Ppprrreeetttyyy sure he’s been asked before. Many, many, many times.
February 20th, 2024 at 8:52 am
Maybe Jameis is maturing. I really think that’s what he needed to be a good QB. I’ve never read where he spoke positively about Arians or the Bucs. Just vindictive. He certainly has all the tools to be a great quarterback. It’ll be interesting if he ever puts it together.
February 20th, 2024 at 9:04 am
This is what is so perplexing about the 2022 season. Leftwich knew how to push all the correct buttons from 2019 – 2021 (averaging 29.8 ppg during that stretch), but it all fell apart in 2022.
February 20th, 2024 at 9:07 am
“Jameis said playing for Arians and his staff was the most fundamentally and technically sound he has ever been as a quarterback”
A “fundamentally and technically sound” QB does not throw THIRTY Interceptions in a season….
Arians said “you get 1” per game his 1st year here working with Winston.
So if Jamies had thrown 16 INTs to go along with his 33 TDs that year – it would have been approaching an acceptable ratio for a QB like Jameis. But he threw THIRTY which cost us a few games in the process…. Unacceptable!
So “door #2” it was – and Thank God it worked out that way…..
February 20th, 2024 at 9:09 am
He was discussing footwork, and other physical traits.
February 20th, 2024 at 9:17 am
I like ATM better when he shuts his W-eating piehole.
February 20th, 2024 at 9:30 am
Screw Winston
February 20th, 2024 at 9:54 am
Getting praise from Winston is like hearing from Jeffrey Dahmer that granny tasted better than a Bern’s Steak. Heck, Winston was not too far removed from Mr Dahmer….thank God for the campus police and the desire to win a national championship for FSU.
February 20th, 2024 at 10:08 am
I wonder if the staff was “Harvard” level like he stated about New Orleans.
February 20th, 2024 at 10:36 am
Let’s face it the combination of Bowles wanting to use a different format of offense, Leftwich not able to figure out how to make that happen, and the drastic changes to the o-line cost the Bucs a 3rd Lombardi!
February 20th, 2024 at 11:00 am
Interesting interview. Part of what I loved about Winston when the Bucs first drafted him were on full display again.
First words out of his mouth on Arians. Feels like such big respect for Arians.
Not really any talk about “No Risk It, No Biscuit”. One quick reference.
His words about Arians “style”are:
“I just think his perspective is of making the defense stop you. Not surrendering to what you’re getting but we’re going to attack you. Look this is what the defense does, if they blitz us, that is a time of attacking them. His philosophy is making the defense stop us.”
When at 1 hour 7 minutes and 50 seconds in he mentions in meetings that Arians would say “No Risk It, No Biscuit”. And that meant in Jameis head that he needed to risk it.
February 20th, 2024 at 11:14 am
Now we’re stuck with Todd Bowles no biscuits.
February 20th, 2024 at 11:21 am
@Thisisouryear!!
Jameis has yet to grow up man. That stunt he pulled in the final play-call of this past season while in a victory formation against the Falcons is the reason he won’t be a Saint next season. Someone else will give him a shot to hold a clip board though, but it just goes to show you that behind the scenes the experts tend to know a bit more than we do.
How telling is it that this guy who threw for over 5K yards, 33 TDs, albeit 30 Ints, couldn’t land a starting role anywhere? He’s been a Saint for (4) years now. He had (2) seasons not competing against another franchise QB and essentially his best shot was in 2020 where his chances when up in smoke when he tore his ACL against us. Damn you’d think he would have have had (1) 17-game season as a starter by now, and yet no one traded for him, and there were some pretty needy QB teems this past season. Vikings for one come to mind. This guys only hope is Nick Folks type of stumbling into a good situation sort of scenario.
February 20th, 2024 at 11:22 am
Glad to see Jameis taking the high road. Sign he has matured.
He was never gonna be a great NFL QB, but I am glad to see hes made a pretty profitable career for himself.
Everyone crying to draft a rookie, couldnt have been here during the Jameis years.
Every season, so much hope. Always signs that this was the year he’d make the next step. Always flashes of what he could be.
Five years later, it was apparent to everyone that it wasnt gonna happen.
Thats what drafting a Rookie QB really is. A five year apprenticeship, to see if the kid has it or not. There have been lots of Mac Jones. Fantastic year one, then the league figures them out- crash!
I love Jason Lichts plan. We grab a QB thats already proven himself!
When a team has drafted 26 QBs, and none ever got a second contract- you figure out that theres got to be a better way!
February 20th, 2024 at 12:12 pm
jameis is not done. Yes, he is a career NFL backup QB. But guys like this last long in the NFL. And sometime in his career he will be called on to lead a team to the playoffs. You never know. It has happened before. Just when you think an old wise QB who has been sittin on the bench is done? He pops up, delivers and wins.
February 20th, 2024 at 12:50 pm
Mike Johnson says how bout some facts u r notorious for post short with zero facts & the 1’s u do have are made up garbage.facts matter he came in against the bucs this year 1st throw int that’s all u need to know pal
February 20th, 2024 at 12:51 pm
That picture of him is funny he looks like semi in the movie coming to america
February 20th, 2024 at 1:00 pm
Joe Says:
Basically, from everything Joe has heard (a bunch was told off the record to Joe so Joe is offering a simplistic composite) was the offense was built for No-Risk-It; No-Biscuit but Todd Bowles didn’t want that offense. So the offense in 2022 was basically square peg, round hole.
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This is disturbing for a couple reasons:
1) Bowles not only “fixed” something that wasn’t broken, but was wildly successful.
2) It seems to have destroyed the NFL career of Leftwich who was assigned way too much of the blame for what happened in his last season. Bowles changed the offense away from No-risk-it-no-biscuit and when it failed spectacularly he fired Leftwich. No wonder Arians was so pissed off about this!
February 20th, 2024 at 1:12 pm
I’d rather have Winston than Mayfield
February 20th, 2024 at 1:25 pm
BucsFanSince1996,
I was going to reply to Joe but you beat me to it on your second point. Yes, the Bucs didn’t have AB or Gronk in 2022 but they also didn’t have Brady, Gronk, Fournette, or AB in 2019 when the Bucs also averaged 28 ppg. The only key difference is head coach and by changing philosophies Bowles pretty much ruined Leftwich’s coaching career, or at least the perception of it.
February 20th, 2024 at 1:25 pm
Loser fans do. You probably wanted Trask to start as well.
February 20th, 2024 at 1:49 pm
The only person who ruined Leftwichs career is Leftwich.
If he was a good coach, he would still be coaching.
Just shows Leftwich ONLY knew one way to win.
We do what we do.
February 20th, 2024 at 1:54 pm
Clean house: good thing you are not a GM. Winston has had zero starting offers since he’s been a free agent. When he did get a chance to be a starter, he failed and they gave Derek Carr all the cash.
February 20th, 2024 at 2:04 pm
Clean house says I suggest u email Licht with u r very professional wisdom & see his reaction u freakn knucklehead I wud expect nothing less from u u keep this site on their toes with u r stupidity
February 20th, 2024 at 2:10 pm
Winston instead of Mayfield I suggest u switch u r posting site to the saints where knuckleheads roam that dumpy Dome
February 20th, 2024 at 3:04 pm
Wonder if the Titans fans have weekly conversations about Mariota. Jets fans still hamming on about butt fumble. Winston played his way off this team. Enough about this loser.
February 20th, 2024 at 3:21 pm
Don’t feed the trolls, clean house has zero cred
February 20th, 2024 at 3:37 pm
BillyBucco Says:
The only person who ruined Leftwichs career is Leftwich.
If he was a good coach, he would still be coaching.
Just shows Leftwich ONLY knew one way to win.
We do what we do.
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Maybe he DID only know one way to win but they won a Super Bowl with him as the OC. Bowles should have left the OC in control of the offense rather than “fix” what was not broken.
Leftwich was deserving of some criticism for sure, but had he been left to run the offense he knew how to run and all the offensive players knew how to run maybe things would have turned out differently.
February 20th, 2024 at 4:15 pm
Even though this was extremely obvious, yet some refused to believe that Bowles changed the offense.This is also the first time that Joe has posted that Bowles allegedly did so. He and many others continue to blame Leftnut. I asked the question many times, if BL was the cause why would Brady have his ? Not only did Bowles ruin an offense designed for the No risk it No biscuit, he damaged part of Brady’s legacy and destroyed a number of records he once held. Best of all threw Leftnut under the bus then backed up over him. Of course he didn’t get hired, who wants to hire a coach that was pegged as the one to run an offense even Brady couldn’t achieve in?
February 20th, 2024 at 4:49 pm
Jameis took Arians advice quite literally and let it rip. 5109 yds! 33 TDs in 16 games I believe. He had a ton of picks but a top passer in the league by several standards. He worked with Sean Peyton, who got his pics drown to a very respectable 1170 14TDs to 3 Picks with a 102.8 passer rating before he was injured. That’s while having to sub plays with Sean Peyton’s gadget player/ man crush Taysom Hill.
Then the Saints changed to a coach who hates Jameis and who is a defensive minded coach like the clown we have.
Jameis was replaced by the best and most cerebral player ever TB, (Peyton Manning also was a brilliant field general). Brady was awesome, grasped the concept and thrived. Jameis hadn’t grasped it yet.
Also
The same media hype train that loved Mayfield then hated him and now loves him again absolutely loved piling on Winston who is an easy target because he’s clownish and a great soundbite.
I concede that Jameis has plenty of head scratching moments and terrible QB play, but I also think he has never had his talent maximized. The problem is that there are 32 teams and they worry about PR. Nobody wants to put their job on the line.
Jameis also went on a religious trip and people don’t like that either sprinkled into all his interviews.
They don’t want him as the face of the franchise.
I think Jameis can be great.
My opinions are strong and valid…. I’m not a troll. I care nothing for Trask, have no opinion on him. I find Jameis Winston highly entertaining with a ton of raw talent and upside. I loved watching that Super Bowl run because I was equally tickled seeing Jameis launch a bomb against us on his one throw. It gave me a scare but it worked out. That was fun for me- best of both worlds.
I don’t watch football to subscribe to all of your cultish loyalty requirements. I like the Bucs, they’re my team. I also graduated FSU. I like Jameis Winston. He was my teams QB and he won my college a National Championship and a Heisman in a near perfect season. You can all kiss it with your troll and no cred comments.
Mike C you once threatened me on this message board… a real winner- very brave of you sitting behind your keyboard.
Make America’s QB Great Again!
I like Jameis Winston more than I like Baker Mayfield and that’s my opinion.
You could get Winston back for a deal like Mayfield’s last year. It’s entirely possible for JW to also have a career resurgence.
February 20th, 2024 at 6:15 pm
Mike Johnson.
You musta missed it.
Jameis has been called on. 3 times.
He “popped up”, threw an interception, and “popped” his butt back to the Bench.
And the Saints paid David Carr a FORTUNE to keep him on the bench
February 20th, 2024 at 7:40 pm
It is all about results. He didn’t get them. And we’re now through two hiring cycles in both the NFL and college and he still can’t get an interview (forget a job). Given results Bucs got with a rookie OC last season well, that says it all.
If you are trying to make Leftwich out to be a martyr you are barking up the wrong tree.
February 20th, 2024 at 9:24 pm
Y’all hate Winston just because He is Black, just admit it! Baker is a Bum, just admit it, I hope the Falcons do take Him, or anybody in the South, so we can still dominate!!!!
February 21st, 2024 at 1:17 am
Part of the problem for Jameis was a problem that Brady fixed–and I’m not talking about turnovers. Yes, Winston is obviously turnover-prone, but Leftwich’s offense magnified that–always putting the ball in harm’s way.
If any of you dare to recall, Brady was also throwing a lot of picks when he first got into Leftwich’s offense. Then he probably had a long chat with him and said, LOOK this offense doesn’t work for me, here’s the RIGHT WAY to run an offense.
Is this something Jameis was going to do? Did he have anywhere near Brady’s experience and clout to even understand the flaws in Leftwich’s offense?
When he went to the Saints, he got into an offense that was the antithesis of what Leftwich was doing, and you saw the turnovers mostly disappear but also lost was the big plays.
February 21st, 2024 at 4:19 pm
I never saw the people on here care so much about the running game since Jamies left. It’s funny when anyone talked how bad this running game was it was called making excuses for Jamies. Then when Brady and Baker came now the running game matters and the defense means everything.
February 21st, 2024 at 11:49 pm
Jameis was the hardest working QB in TB history the team just didn’t respond to him for whatever reason…some say his antics during college some say his cheesiness dealing with millionaire superstars but one thing you can’t say is that guy is not a baller