Jameis Winston became the founding member of the 30/30 club at the end of the 2019 season, and his first gift to himself couldn't be more appropriate.
Winston recently underwent LASIK eye surgery, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport confirmed Wednesday. The Tampa Bay Times was the first to report the news.
"He didn't want to count out any options that he had that could possibly help him with the game he loves so much. He doesn't want to miss out on an opportunity that presents itself," Winston's publicist, Denise White, told Rapoport. "This is the game he loves and he wants to be the best at it and if there are any options that can improve his game he is willing to do it."
Few operations could fit Winston better. Just months after he became the first quarterback to throw 30 touchdowns and 30 interceptions, Winston had his eyesight fixed. Likely gone are the photos of Winston squinting on the sideline, which often became memes. Perhaps the interceptions won't be as frequent, too.
There's no telling how much such an operation might help the nearsighted Winston. He's not the first NFL player to see an eye specialist after struggling on the field (notably, first-round bust Troy Williamson pinned his drops on his eyes) though it's worth noting Winston didn't blame his turnovers on his eyesight.
Sharp vision should be a prerequisite for playing the position, of course, and Winston made it this far without LASIK. After all, he led the NFL in passing yards, breaking 5,100 despite the 30 interceptions. Maybe it helps him curb his penchant for taking risks, but we'll first have to learn where he's playing in 2020 before he can start to throw with the help of 20/20 vision.
