Jameis Winston is ready to take a bite out of the Big Apple. And maybe eat some wins for the New York Giants, too.
The 31-year-old quarterback agreed to terms with the Giants on a two-year, $8 million contract, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Friday night.
Winston joins Tommy DeVito as the only quarterbacks on the Giants’ roster. New York has been in the market in free agency for a veteran, with Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson and Joe Flacco also mentioned as possible targets.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team didn’t announce the deal. Fox Sports first reported that Winston was joining the Giants, adding that the deal could be for as much as $16 million with incentives.
“Start spreading the neWs,” Winston wrote on X, a play on his infamous “Eat a W” pregame speech with Tampa Bay in 2017. He added an apple emoji while appearing to confirm his Big Apple welcome.
New York’s quarterback situation has been unsettled this offseason, with the only move at the position since free agency began last week being the re-signing of DeVito. The team had interest in the Rams' Matthew Stafford, who was given permission to explore trade options but later agreed to a restructured contract with Los Angeles.
The Giants then appeared to be waiting on the 41-year-old Rodgers, who spent the last two seasons with the Jets but was released on March 13.
Rodgers, who hasn’t publicly said he’ll play a 21st NFL season, met with Pittsburgh on Friday, according to another person with knowledge of the situation — signaling an interest on both sides. He spent several hours in the team’s facility gathering information, but left without signing a contract. That person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the meeting was not made public.
Wilson, who spent last season in Pittsburgh, also remains a free agent and his next move could be predicated on what Rodgers decides.
The Giants continued to explore their options and reportedly recently met with Winston, Wilson and Flacco. They now have their veteran in Winston to pair with DeVito — and also hold the No. 3 pick in the NFL draft next month. So, a top quarterback such as Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders could still be in play.
Winston played in 12 games last season for Cleveland and started in seven after Deshaun Watson was injured, throwing for 2,121 yards and 13 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. He set a Browns record with 497 yards passing in Week 13 with four TDs against Denver, but also had three interceptions — two of which were returned for scores — in Cleveland's 41-32 loss.
He spent the previous four seasons in New Orleans primarily as a backup.
Winston was the No. 1 overall pick by Tampa Bay in the 2015 draft out of Florida State. He got off to a solid start to his NFL career, finishing second in the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year voting behind Rams running back Todd Gurley, and surpassed 4,000 yards passing in each of his first two seasons. But he also struggled with his consistency and interceptions in key moments became an issue.
Winston threw for a league-leading 5,109 yards and had 33 touchdowns in 2019, but also led the NFL with a career-worst 30 interceptions in his last season as the Buccaneers’ starter. He signed with the Saints in 2020 to be Drew Brees’ backup and then re-signed the following offseason the day after Brees announced his retirement.
He started seven games in 2021 before a torn ACL ended his season. A back injury limited him the following season as he became the backup to Andy Dalton. Winston again re-signed with the Saints in 2023, serving as Derek Carr’s backup.
Winston has passed for 24,225 yards and 154 touchdowns with 111 interceptions in 10 NFL seasons.
AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi and AP Sports Writer Will Graves contributed to this report.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
FILE - Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston (5) looks to pass during an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Dec. 15, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard, File)
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The horn sounded, signaling UConn's return to the national championship game for the third time in four seasons. And freshman Braylon Mullins raised his arms in triumph, a huge smile on his face as he trotted over to join his celebrating Huskies teammates.
Not far away, Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler headed dejectedly to his bench, pulling his jersey over his face. He disappeared into the arms of consoling teammates, then emerged with his head covered by a towel as the handshake line formed.
Only one of the two fantastic freshmen could end the night in triumph, but both led their teams on a rough offensive night for the Huskies and the Illini in UConn's 71-62 win Saturday in the Final Four.
Mullins — the home-state hero who hit an incredible shot to send UConn to Indianapolis — got off to a fast start and finished with four 3-pointers and 15 points. Wagler, a second-team All-American, had a game-high 20 points to go with eight rebounds while the Illini never found the groove that had brought them to their first Final Four since 2005.
Both hit key 3s as UConn fought to maintain its tenuous late lead. And by the final horn, Mullins and Wagler had become the first opposing freshmen with at least 15 points in a Final Four game since 1982 — when a couple of kids named Michael Jordan (North Carolina) and Patrick Ewing (Georgetown) were squaring off for the national title.
Only Mullins will have a chance to add to his March run.
“We’re so ready for the national championship game,” Mullins said after exchanging an exuberant hug with coach Dan Hurley. “This is what I came here for. Let’s get it on Monday.”
Mullins was a prep star out of Greenfield, roughly 30 miles from Lucas Oil Stadium, the cavernous home of the Indianapolis Colts that hosted the Final Four. He was already the star of the week in Indianapolis after hitting the 3-pointer that capped UConn's stunning comeback from 19 points down to beat No. 1 overall tournament seed Duke in the Elite Eight last weekend.
This time, he faced an opponent that had elevated its defense to go with its season-long efficiency. The Illini allowed just 0.976 points per possession through four NCAA Tournament wins to lead the four remaining teams while leaning on their paint-controlling size advantage.
That only magnified the importance of Mullins, a 6-foot-6 wing who came armed with a fearless look — whether shaking off a second half full of misses or ending up on the floor after getting stuffed at the rim on a baseline drive before halftime.
He set the tone during the opening three minutes, when he knocked down his first two 3-point tries, the second after losing Jake Davis around a screen then backpedaling and clapping with a big grin. He even banked in a straightaway 3 for a 37-27 lead, prompting him to grin sheepishly and stick out his tongue.
“The shot clock was winding down and I was just trying to find a pick and pop,” Mullins told reporters huddled around his locker. “I knew when I saw that separation I was going to put it up. But I did not expect to hit glass. You’ve got to have a smile on your face when that happens because those shots do happen.”
He saved his biggest moment for the second half. Mullins was 0 for 5 since halftime when Illinois had trimmed a 14-point deficit to four. Alex Karaban missed a 3-pointer, but Silas Demary Jr. outfought Illinois’ Ben Humrichous for the rebound to set up Mullins’ 3 with 52.1 seconds left.
It was his only second-half basket as UConn shot just 28.6% after halftime in a rock fight of a game.
It was a harder night for Wagler, the former four-star recruit who rose to prominence this season as part of a stellar freshman class nationally. He finished 7 for 16 from the floor but went just 2 for 10 from 3-point range — he entered shooting 40.7% from behind the arc — on a night when Illinois shot just 33.9% overall.
“I felt like I was settled in, it was just my shot was off, which happens,” Wagler said. “So I was just trying to stay confident throughout the game and keep shooting them. I felt like I'm a good shooter so I kept shooting them.”
He came through with a big one to answer Mullins' late 3, hitting a step-back against Demary with 43.5 seconds left to keep Illinois within four. But he missed another one moments later, slapping his right thigh in frustration as it became clear the game was finally out of reach.
By the end of the night, he sat his locker with teammate Ty Rodgers' left arm wrapped around him.
“Every day when you go through something like this with a group for this long, and you love them, it's hard when it ends,” Wagler said, pausing to fight back tears as Rodgers patted him on the shoulder. “You know, when it ends, it's just sad.”
AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
UConn's Braylon Mullins (24) and head coach Dan Hurley celebrate after defeating Illinois in an an NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Illinois' David Mirkovic (0) and Keaton Wagler reacts after losing to UConn in an NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Illinois guard Keaton Wagler (23) drives against UConn during the second half of an NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Illinois' Keaton Wagler (23) drives around UConn's Malachi Smith during the second half of an NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
UConn guard Braylon Mullins (24) celebrates a basket against Illinois during the second half of an NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
UConn guard Braylon Mullins (24) rebounds against Illinois during the second half of an NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
