BEREA, Ohio — The role of mentor and leader is equally important to have and be in the NFL.
"It's extremely important. We're all kind of in the same shoes. We all come from different backgrounds, some guys rougher than others and we all have each other's back," said defensive tackle Maurice Hurst II. "We've been through kind of similar things of being cut or being told that you're not good enough or being a superstar or anything in between. And that really brings us closer as people and as teammates."
For one of the more stressful positions on a roster—the quarterback—the role of mentor and leader can not be understated. It's important to have someone serving in that role for the player and for that player to serve others.
This season, for Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, Jameis Winston has taken on that role.
"It's going to help both of us. I think coming from similar but different backgrounds. He's played a lot of football, he's been at the highest level, been around other pro quarterbacks. So for me it’s to be able to learn and build off the knowledge and then vice versa, him learning from me and what I see in different schemes and different offenses and success that I had," Watson said. "So we're feeding off each other and not just us two, but the whole room, Snoop [Tyler Huntley], DTR [Dorian Thompson-Robinson], we're a brotherhood so every time you see us moving it's probably one of us with each other. So that's the chemistry and the love that we have in that room is definitely one of the best I've ever had."
A healthy quarterbacks room is something the Browns desired immensely as Watson works through his shoulder rehab and looks to put together his first full season in orange and brown in 2024 after suspension and injury have seen him play just 12 games in the past two years.
However, Watson and Winston's connection is perhaps the most important thing in that room.
Before practice, during practice, and after practice, Watson and Winston can be seen talking. Sometimes they talk about the game. Sometimes, they talk about life. For them, spending time together has been natural, as was seen after practice earlier this week.
#Browns QB Deshaun Watson getting some time with backup Jameis Winston post-practice. pic.twitter.com/UgLGNOiOG8
— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) August 12, 2024
"It was just both of us just chopping it up. That's how we always talk. So it wasn't anything that was going on with practice or anything like that. It was just one of those deals that we were speaking on whatever we were speaking on at the moment," Watson said. "We just got finished with conditioning, so I was cooked, I was tired, and then he came over, he's just being Jameis and just being a motivator, a leader, a good friend and a great teammate. So we were just talking about just everything that kind of went on."
The Browns signed Winston this offseason to be the backup quarterback, not only for a solid option behind Watson but to help mentor their franchise quarterback. Similar backgrounds and Winston's knack for motivating people make it a clear fit for the two to flourish together. And despite being close in age, Winston can be that supportive mentor for Watson.
"When I was that age—and I'm just two years older than him—but understanding ‘To whom much is given, much is required,’ and he knows the magnitude and expectation that a lot of people have for him, but if you think that Deshaun Watson has a lesser expectation than all the fans or all of you have of him, then you're shortchanging yourself because he has high expectations. He wants to be and will be a Super Bowl-winning quarterback. And honestly, that's why I'm here for, because I guarantee you I'm feeding that into him. I'm making sure that he knows that and he really don't need my help because he has it. He already has possessed that," Winston said.
The high expectations that Watson holds for himself and his team come with some pressure on the quarterback to stay healthy and perform well. As he works through those expectations, he's got Winston to lean on and encourage him along the way.
"When you can go out, you can see practice, you can knick-knack, this-that, paddy whack, give a dog a bone—Deshaun Watson is going to turn it on. He’s always going to find a way to shine when the lights come on," Winston said.
And in turn, Watson plans to serve as a mentor and leader for his other teammates—as his role as starting quarterback expects of him and as he expects of himself.
“It’s an everyday role, on and off the field and I think that a lot of guys on this team come to me and ask me different questions of what I've been through, how to handle situations and I do the same thing. And I tell all the guys that I'm serving leaders, so I'm always here to serve other people and help them out and try to make them and have them be the best ability they can be on and off the field. So yeah, it is definitely huge and I'm just going to continue to be that for all my teammates," Watson said.
