The controversy surrounding the New Orleans Saints' late touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons continued to generate an intense debate a day later with ESPN's Shannon Sharpe going hard after Jameis Winston on Monday's First Take.
While leading 41-17 with a little over a minute to go, Winston and members of the offense decided to give running back Jamaal Williams a shot at a touchdown in victory formation after Dennis Allen and his staff asked that they take a knee and run out the clock.
Falcons coach Arthur Smith yelled at Allen over the incident, and the Saints coach later apologized for the score.
While many Saints players have come out in support of Winston over the touchdown, Sharpe believes that the controversy is a sign of problems within the franchise and a reminder that Winston isn't a quarterback that can be relied upon
"It makes Dennis Allen look like he lost control of that locker room, but I'll say this – I would cut Jameis Winston today," Sharpe said. "I would not want him on my team. That's a loser's mentality."
"If people say, Shannon, what about when Dan Marino fake spiked the ball, or Peyton Manning? They were not in victory formation. If you get down and the defense is conceding ... If you want to run the ball, let the defense line up. Don't you fool them, (let them) think it's a victory formation and then drive off the ball."
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"I would cut Jameis Winston today."@ShannonSharpe reacts to the Saints scoring a touchdown at the end of the game vs. the Falcons. pic.twitter.com/efZt6Ezmmp
— First Take (@FirstTake) January 8, 2024
Sharpe said the incident should lead the Saints to think about taking a new direction headed into 2024.
"Dennis Allen is probably going to have to go because the players have no respect for him," Sharpe said. "He said we they sent victory formation in, but "we" made a decision. I'm sorry, I would cut Jameis Winston today. If I was on that team, I would have jumped off sides on purpose.
"There's a mentality that you've got to have to play winning football. Jameis Winston has a loser's mentality. That's why they didn't win in Tampa. That's why Tom Brady came there, took the same team and went to the Super Bowl. Look at what Baker Mayfield did with basically same team, got them into the playoffs, something Jameis couldn't do."
At the end of his take, Sharpe looked directly at the camera and added an exclamation point to his hot take.
"I would cut him. I would cut Jameis Winston today," Sharpe said.
