Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher congratulates Jameis Winston and P.J. Williams on heading to the NFL
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher confirmed that quarterback Jameis Winston is headed to the NFL on Wednesday.
“I would like to wish Jameis nothing but success at the next level as I think he’ll be extremely successful,” Fisher said. “It was a blessing to be able to coach him. He’s one of the unique players that I’ve ever had the privilege to coach. He embodies what you as a coach want as a person, a student and a player. He’s a genuine and honest guy. He’s one of the greatest players in Florida State history. I want to thank him for the way he represented himself and the organization in so many tough situations and the professionalism in which he handled the ability to be such a great teammate to his teammates and always put them and the program above himself. That’s a very unique ability to be able to do especially at his age. I’d like to thank his family. They’re great people and it was a blessing that they came into our lives. I have nothing but respect for everything Jameis stands for, what he is and what he will do in the future. He’s truly one of the most special guys that I’ve had the privilege to be able to coach and I can’t thank him enough for the contributions to our family at Florida State.”
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Winston, a redshirt sophomore from Bessemer, Ala., became the youngest player ever to win the Heisman Trophy in 2013, while leading FSU to the national championship as a redshirt freshman signal-caller and capturing several individual wards and consensus All-America honors. He won his first 26 collegiate starts, becoming the first Power Five conference quarterback to accomplish that feat. Winston led the ACC in passing (3,907 yards) and total offense (305.5 ypg), while tossing 25 touchdowns in 2014 en route to All-ACC First Team honors. For his career, Winston completed 562 of 851 pass attempts (66 percent) for 7,964 yards and 65 touchdowns. Despite playing only two seasons, Winston ranks second in FSU history in passing touchdowns and third in passing yards. His 14 career 300-yard games are tied with Chris Weinke for the most in Nole history.
“After weighing this decision with my family and friends, I have decided to declare for the 2015 NFL Draft and forgo my remaining eligibility at Florida State,” Winston said in a statement released Wednesday. “I reached this very difficult decision after careful consideration and long thought, realizing how difficult it would be to say goodbye to my family at Florida State. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to wear garnet and gold and have greatly enjoyed my time as a Seminole, both as an athlete and a student in classroom.”
Junior cornerback P.J. Williams also Heads to NFL
P.J. Williams is also headed to the NFL. Williams announced on his personal twitter account he would forgo his final year of collegiate eligibility on Tuesday.
“I’d like to thank P.J. for the three great years he had here at Florida State,” Fisher said. “He was a tremendous player, but more importantly he is a tremendous person. It was fun to watch him grow as a person, a student and as a player. He made huge contributions to our organization and I think he’ll have a tremendous pro career. I’m very excited for he and his family, and wish him nothing but the best.”
Williams was a two-time All-ACC selection and a Second Team All-American by USA Today in 2014, totaling 74 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, 10 pass break-ups and an interception. He compiled 123 tackles along with 18 pass break-ups over 40 career games (24 starts). The Ocala, Fla., native was at his best on the biggest stages, capturing BCS National Championship Game Defensive MVP honors at the Rose Bowl last season when he had a half-tackle for loss and interception on consecutive plays in the fourth quarter. He had a game- and career-high 14 tackles in his final game against Oregon in the Rose Bowl last week.
FSU finished 13-1 in 2014, capping the season at the first-ever College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl.
Full Statement from Jameis Winston:
Dear Seminole Nation,
After weighing this decision with my family and friends, I have decided to declare for the 2015 NFL Draft and forgo my remaining eligibility at Florida State. I reached this very difficult decision after careful consideration and long thought, realizing how difficult it would be to say goodbye to my family at Florida State. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to wear the garnet and gold and have greatly enjoyed my time as a Seminole, both as an athlete and a student in the classroom.
I will always take pride in leading our team back to national prominence and am confident that my returning teammates will continue the success for many years to come. To the fans, I can’t thank you enough for the support you showed me and the team over the last three seasons; it was a humbling experience to bring the Championship back to Tallahassee for you all to enjoy. To my teammates, it’s been an incredible opportunity to play with the most impressive collection of talent and people the game has seen; you all have been there for me through the highs and lows and the relationships we have formed extend well beyond the field. For this, I thank you. To the coaching staff and especially Coach Fisher, I am forever grateful for the ways you developed me as a player and a person as I have grown over the years. I knew I made the right decision to come to Florida State four years ago and couldn’t be happier with this choice as I write this today.
As I embark on the next challenge of playing in the NFL, I look forward to contributing to a long line of successful alumni at the next level. I want you all to know that I will make Seminole Nation proud and continue to bring the passion and love for the game you all have seen in Doak Campbell since my first day as a ‘Nole. Thank you for making my time in Tallahassee some of the best years of my life.
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