Sean Payton cried watching Jameis Winston enter locker room after injury vs Buccaneers

Jameis Winston suffered a significant injury during Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Head coach Sean Payton expressed that he cried when he saw the Saints quarterback come into the locker room. Post-game reports indicate that the injury is potentially season-ending, most likely an ACL and MCL damage.

The injury occurred when Buccaneers linebacker Devin White brought down Winston with a horse-collar tackle. After being helped to the sidelines, Jameis Winston was carted off the field and into the locker room. Despite this, Winston could be seen celebrating with his teammates in the locker room after they defeated the Buccaneers.

Sean Payton saddened when injured Jameis Winston came into the locker room

Even though he couldn’t finish the game, Jameis Winston played a big part in helping the New Orleans Saints knock off the defending Super Bowl Champions. The Saints won 36-27, and Winston played well before the injury. Before exiting, he went 6 for 10 for 56 yards and a touchdown. Backup quarterback Trevor Siemian came in and went 16 for 29 for 159 yards, also tossing a touchdown.

Heading into Week 8, Jameis Winston did his best to replace quarterback Drew Brees, throwing for 13 TDs and 3 INTs. The Saints relied on their stout defense and fed running back Alvin Kamara the ball to keep the pressure off of Winston. For their part, leading the Saints to a 4-2 record before taking on the 5-1 Buccaneers was all the Saints could have asked for. Head coach Sean Payton knew well to decrease the passing volume compared to seasons past to give the team a chance to win, especially as the Saints are waiting for star wide receiver Michael Thomas to return from injury.

The NFC South showdown did not disappoint as the two heavyweights traded blows, with Tampa Bay even taking a 27-26 lead with 5:52 minutes left in the fourth quarter before the New Orleans Saints were able to ice the game with a field goal and a pick-six off quarterback Tom Brady. The division is neck-and-neck with the 5-2 Saints only one game behind the 6-2 Bucs.

Jameis Winston’s revenge game against his former team didn’t go exactly as planned, but the way he celebrated with his teammates after the big win would indicate that rehab can wait until tomorrow. Tonight, the Saints quarterback and his team deserve to relish this huge victory.