At this point, it appears to be a matter of not “if,” but rather “when” Jameis Winston will become a member of the media.
And that’s not only because the New York Giants quarterback is highly entertaining, but also because he understands how the game is played.
That much was evident earlier this week, as Winston took the podium to discuss the G-Men’s upcoming matchup against the New England Patriots. And with the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner’s media availability falling on the day before Thanksgiving, he also took the opportunity to explain why he was genuinely thankful for the beat reporters in attendance.
“I’m thankful for y’all. The job that you do is tough, having to write and make up stories — I’m just kidding,” Winston said with his signature smile before shifting back to a more serious tone. “But having to do the work that you do, put in the work, that’s tough stuff. So we appreciate y’all. We’re thankful for y’all, ’cause y’all stories help us get paid more. It keeps the fans engaged. So we appreciate that. Blessings and prosperity to all of ya’ll, for real.”
Jameis Winston started his press conference today by wishing beat reporters a happy Thanksgiving:
“We’re thankful for y’all because y’all stories help us get paid more and keeps the fans engaged, so we appreciate that. Blessings and prosperity to all of y’all, for real.” pic.twitter.com/FqXa45Mxtt
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) November 26, 2025
Winston’s comment about the work that reporters do helping to increase players’ salaries might seem funny to some, but it actually displays a deft understanding of the value that media coverage brings. As the 31-year-old noted, such stories — both positive and negative— increases interest in the league, which helps lead to higher television ratings and larger media rights deals, thus increasing the revenue split between teams and players.
That’s not to say that beat reporters are solely responsible or even the biggest reason why a player like Winston has been able to earn more than $84 million over the course of his career, according to Spotrac. But it was certainly refreshing to hear him both acknowledge and thank the local reporters for the role that they do play, especially while in the spirit of the holiday season.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.