Advertisement

Jameis Winston's grandmother, the reason he stayed home for the draft, dies at age 70

When Jameis Winston was the No. 1 overall pick of the NFL draft, he made the unusual decision to not attend in person. He had a great reason for being the first No. 1 pick in 21 years to not be at the draft: He wanted to be with his grandmother, who had diabetes and couldn’t travel.

When Winston won his first NFL game later that year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, his grandmother was there at the Superdome in New Orleans, with permission from her doctor.

Winston’s grandmother Myrtle died earlier this week, according to ESPN’s Jenna Laine and Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.

Winston was close with his grandmother, by all accounts, and he said she inspired him in Week 2 of his rookie season, when he led the Buccaneers to a win over the New Orleans Saints. Myrtle Winston wasn’t able to attend Winston’s Florida State games because of her health, ESPN said.

“It’s definitely amazing to see her out there, to see her on the sidelines before the game. I was so pumped up,” Winston said then, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Both reports said that one of Winston’s first purchases after signing his first NFL contract was a $4,000 lift chair for his grandma.

“He is one of the loves of my life,” Myrtle Winston told the Tampa Bay Times in 2015, at the Buccaneers’ win over the Saints.

Jameis Winston with his grandmother Myrtle on the night he was drafted first overall by Tampa Bay. (AP)
Jameis Winston with his grandmother Myrtle on the night he was drafted first overall by Tampa Bay. (AP)

– – – – – – –

Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!