McCoy's advice to Winston: be a rookie, not a rah rah guyRick Stroud, Times Staff Writer Wednesday, June 17, 2015 4:17pm
EVE EDELHEIT | TimesQuarterback Jameis Winston received advice from defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who knows how a highly drafted rookie can be swallowed by expectations.Quarterback Jameis Winston is getting a lot of free advice these days, but there is some he really values.It's the advice he has received from defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who knows how a highly drafted rookie can be swallowed by expectations.McCoy was the third overall pick out of Oklahoma of the Bucs in 2010 but suffered a torn biceps in each arm his first two seasons, playing in only 19 games and recording three sacks.Since then, McCoy has been named to three consecutive Pro Bowls and tallied 23 sacks.“The thing I told him was just to be a rookie,'' McCoy said of his advice to Winston. "Don’t try to come in and turn the franchise around the first year. You’re still a rookie, still young. You haven’t played a snap in the NFL. Being the first overall pick, a lot comes with that, but you can’t do it over night. I mentioned Peyton Manning. Peyton Manning still has the rookie record for interceptions but now he’s Peyton Manning. So you’ve just got to be patient and just be a rookie. Let the 'rah rah' guys be the 'rah rah' guys. That’s me, Clinton McDonald. Lavonte (David) doesn’t do much talking, but he talks with his play. Vincent Jackson. Let those guys do that, you just play your role and he’s done that very well.''But McCoy knows the pressure of being picked so highly in the draft comes with criticism.“It’s definitely huge,'' McCoy said. "I can speak from the worst of the worst, from getting hurt the first two years, to being labeled a bust, to people calling for your head to people saying, “he’s always been good.’ Yeah, right. Whatever. I can speak from both sides. That’s why I told him just be a rookie, man. Enjoy the process and you’ve got to be patient. You got to be thick-skinned, though. It’s the NFL. It’s a man’s game. Not because it’s all grown men playing it but because you’ve got to react to things as a man. You can’t be into your feelings in the NFL. You’re going to be attacked. It’s going to happen. As the first overall pick, you have to be perfect, otherwise, it’s not good enough. That’s just how it works. You’ve got to be patient, stay focused and do things the right way.’’
