Jameis Winston‘s time as a multi-sport athlete will come to an end due to contractual decree.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers wrote a clause into the No. 1 overall pick’s contract prohibiting him from playing professional baseball during the duration of his deal, per NFL Media’s Jeff Darlington.
The MMQB’s Peter King first reported the news.
Winston famously played both football and baseball (pitcher) during his time at Florida State. While the quarterback has insisted football is his focus, he’s always loved baseball.
Winston had previously told King that “it has always been my dream” to play both sports. That statement didn’t sit well with Bucs’ general manager Jason Licht, who discussed it with Winston prior to the draft.
A relief pitcher, Winston was taken in the 15th round of the 2012 MLB draft and would be eligible to be selected again this season.
It’s always sounded like a pipe-dream for a franchise quarterback to play two sports, but the Bucs got their language in the contract just to be certain.
Now the quarterback won’t have the temptation or be forced to answer questions about his focus. The No. 1 pick can aim his attention at merely carrying a football team.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast breaks down the 2015 NFL Draft, picking out the biggest winners and losers. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.
