Cornwell: Jameis Winston ‘Not Ready to Be an NFL Player off the Field’

Reporter II April 11, 2015

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This is a Feb. 21, 2015, file photo showing Jameis Winston at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis. Winston has spent much of the past two months crisscrossing the nation, sharpening his quarterback skills and trying to convince NFL teams he's learned from mistakes made off the field and ready to become the face of a franchise. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

Gary Milhoces, USA TODAY

VILLANOVA, Pa. (USA Today)—David Cornwell, lawyer for top NFL draft prospect Jameis Winston, told a tale of two trophies Friday in recounting Winston’s meeting early last month with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Though the star Florida State quarterback has had off-the-field issues, including a sexual assault allegation that resulted in no criminal charges, he was not summoned by Goodell to New York. Cornwell said he set up the meeting at Winston’s request.

Cornwell said a Super Bowl trophy in Goodell’s office caught Winston’s attention.

“Jameis walked right up to that and said, ‘I want to get one of these,’ ” Cornwell said during a panel discussion on sports and law at Villanova University.

He said Goodell gestured toward another trophy and said, “I prefer you get one of those.”

Cornwell said Goodell pointed to the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award for volunteer and charity work.

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