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Winston will get his shot in Week 1 against the Packers.

The new football season is just about upon us, and the teams have drawn their lines and crowned their QBs. Week 1 promises to be a spicy clash of old and young blood, with one highlight of the crop being the New Orleans Saints versus the Green Bay Packers. The Saints have named their starting quarterback for the season, and it’s none other than 27-year old Jameis Winston. This will be the first time Winston has landed the QB position in the starting lineup, after getting passed over by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back in 2019.

“I was just thankful. These opportunities don’t come too often. A whole year of not starting a football game,” Winston told ESPN. “That’s what I said in our team prayer, like, ‘Lord, thank you for this opportunity.’ … He’s the one that did it, the lord did it for me. And I missed it man. I missed going out there and leading the pack. That’s fun, that’s fun stuff.”

While Winston is excited about the position, he’s got some big shoes to fill. Drew Brees, who recently retired from the NFL, was the Saints starting quarterback for a good 16 years straight. Winston will have to show that he can keep the team in playoff condition in their rock’s absence.

Jameis Winston has been named the Saints' starting quarterback and will make his first start for New Orleans vs. the Packers, sources told @AdamSchefter. pic.twitter.com/4XH47hm0Ai

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 27, 2021

“I would love to carry that torch from him,” Winston said earlier in the year after serving as Brees’ backup. “I would love to be able to provide the excitement and joy and resilience that he provided for this city.”