Bucs' David: Winston's infamous 'Eat a W' speech was 'weird'

One of the longest-tenured Tampa Bay Buccaneers is ready to talk about perhaps the most viral moment in team history.

Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David opened up to Martenzie Johnson of The Undefeated about the infamous "Eat a W" speech by former Tampa Bay quarterback Jameis Winston during the 2017 season.

"I was right in the heart of it. My boy Jameis, he's a very, very, very energetic, animated guy. That was just something that he thought up off the top of his head," David said. "And he came out with it and it was weird, man. It was weird, honestly. He knows it was weird. Everybody wasn't really thrilled with it for a hype-up speech, but unfortunately, that's going to follow my guy Jameis for his whole career."

Winston made the speech prior to a Week 9 game against the New Orleans Saints, which the Bucs lost 30-10.

"He meant well by it. But that particular thing didn't go over well with the rest of the team, and the outcome of that game kind of proved it," David said. "It definitely was something that kind of caught me off-guard. I was kind of like, 'What?' It is what it is, though. We all love Jameis. He meant well. He's a great competitor, but unfortunately, that's going to follow him for a long time."

Winston brought it back three years later when, as a backup quarterback with the Saints, he saw mop-up duty in a 38-3 blowout of the Bucs in Week 9 of the 2020 season.

Of course, the Bucs went on to eliminate the Saints in the divisional round of the playoffs and win Super Bowl LV.