TAMPA, Fla. _ In his first national television appearance since being replaced by Tom Brady, former Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston seemed to take his ouster as a compliment.
But Winston wasn't willing to concede anything on the field to the six-time Super Bowl champion, either.
"One thing about Tom Brady: It is understood that he is the G.O.A.T.," Winston said on Fox News Wednesday morning. "For you to get replaced by Tom Brady in the city that you love so much, I guess that's kudos to me. But at the end of the day, it's a competitive sport. We are all in the business.
"So, I'm excited for whatever opportunity may hold. And eventually, I'm going to have to play the Tom Bradys, the Patrick Mahomes and all the other great quarterbacks, eventually. That's how you win Super Bowls, and that's what I want."
Winston also talked about his faith, looking for a new landing spot in the league, the challenges of getting married in the era of social distancing and the new toll-free coronavirus helpline he helped launch this week.
Winston married his longtime girlfriend, Breion Allen, nearly two weeks ago in a private ceremony at the couple's Odessa home.
"The main safety part with our wedding was just having our parents there and very limited guests," Winston said.
Winston said the couple stood 3 feet apart while exchanging vows, with their minister behind them. They stood in their pool as an added precaution.
"From my knowledge, chlorine does help the spread of the coronavirus," Winston said.
Winston helped launch the coronavirus hotline along with surgeon Dr. Scott Kelley. Callers can check their symptoms, get advice on their next course of action and speak with a doctor with no out-of-pocket fees or co-pay while remaining at home, Kelley said in the interview.
The number for the hotline is 844-TEST-COVID (1-844-837-843).
"I think it's a no-brainer," Kelley said. "It keeps people out of the emergency room, and it frees up our resources so we can take care of sick people. I think it's something America needs right now."
Winston was asked about early data that shows the coronavirus is affecting African Americans to a greater extent than others.
President Donald Trump called the disproportion a "real problem," and Dr. Anthony Fauci said it is something the administration is "very concerned about." Pre-existing conditions more common to African Americans, such as asthma and diabetes, can be a reason for the numbers, Fauci said.
"Personally, where I'm from in Bessemer, Alabama, and Jefferson County, they have completely shut down the entire county because of the coronavirus," Winston said. "And I really believe that it's because of the resources that they lack, whether it's the local hospitals, whether it's different machines.
"And that's why I wanted to team up with Dr. Kelley and put this hotline out there to give people the luxury of just making a call from their own home and being safe and preventing any spread of this outrageous virus."
