Florida State Professional Athletes

Florida State's NFL footprint has never felt larger, and this week, three Seminoles — in three very different situations — found themselves at the center of the league's biggest storylines heading into the trade deadline.

Jared Verse Is Talking Trash, and Pittsburgh Is Listening

Jared Verse had a message for the Steelers ahead of their Week 8 AFC North showdown: Cleveland is coming to take Pittsburgh's crown. The Browns' edge rusher called the Steelers "dirty" and declared the team was "about to make Pittsburgh ours" — comments that landed squarely on veteran defensive lineman Cam Heyward's radar. Heyward fired back publicly, promising Verse's words would be addressed on the field Sunday.

The drama had a subplot: Verse missed Wednesday's practice, briefly raising alarm bells in Cleveland, but the Browns quickly downplayed any concern. By Thursday, he was back on the field. The Browns expect him to play, and the AFC North standings — where both teams are jockeying for first place — make this more than a regular rivalry game. Verse, the former FSU pass rusher, has become one of the key figures in one of the NFL's most combustible division matchups.

Josh Sweat Is the Trade Deadline's Most Coveted Pass Rusher

Meanwhile, Verse's fellow FSU alumnus Josh Sweat is generating equal heat on the trade market. The Arizona Cardinals have made it clear they're willing to move the edge rusher, and the asking price is set. Per reports, the Dallas Cowboys emerged as frontrunners after the Chicago Bears pivoted their resources toward a blockbuster trade for Jeffery Simmons — clearing the lane for Dallas to absorb the cost of acquiring Sweat.

An NFL insider identified three teams deep in trade discussions with Arizona, and the Cowboys sit at the top of the list. The Cardinals' asking price has been reported and the market is active: two trades elsewhere in the league may have shifted the dynamics around Sweat's value, but demand hasn't cooled. The deadline is here, and Sweat's situation is one of the most-watched in the league.

Jameis Winston Gets Paid — Even Without the Starting Job

The Winston arc in New York took an unexpected turn when the Giants handed the former FSU and No. 1 overall pick a $13 million contract extension. General manager Joe Schoen was candid about the reasoning: this was never about Winston reclaiming a starting role. The extension is about keeping a veteran insurance policy in place as the Giants navigate an unsettled quarterback room — New York lost starter Jaxson Dart to a season-ending injury and still sits atop the NFC East at 4-2-1. Winston contributed on the ground in Week 7, scoring a rushing touchdown in the Giants' 27-21 win over the Texans.

The deal reflects Winston's value as a locker room presence and experienced backup — not a reclamation project. At 32, the former Heisman winner has found a role that fits the moment, even if it's not the one he envisioned when he left Tallahassee.

Florida State had one of its most polarizing weeks across the NFL — a decorated cornerback earning conference-wide hardware while a veteran quarterback watched his starting job walk out the door.

Ramsey Does the Unexpected

Jalen Ramsey was always one of the best cover corners in football. Pass rusher? That's a new look — and it worked spectacularly.

The Steelers CB was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in Pittsburgh's 26-19 win over the Buccaneers on Sunday, with Ramsey logging two sacks in a game that wasn't supposed to showcase that part of his repertoire. For a player not known as a pass rusher, the outing was a genuine surprise — and the kind of versatile impact that earns weekly hardware. Fellow FSU alum Asante Samuel Jr. was also on the field for Pittsburgh's win, as the Steelers' cornerback room — stacked with Seminoles — helped shut down Tampa Bay.

It wasn't a completely clean week for Ramsey, however. He was listed on Pittsburgh's injury report ahead of the game, with the Steelers monitoring his status alongside T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith before the final result rendered those concerns moot.

Winston's Giants Run Comes to an End

Four games. That's how long Jameis Winston's stint as the New York Giants' starter lasted before head coach John Harbaugh pulled the plug.

After a rough showing against the Saints — 152 passing yards, one touchdown, two interceptions in a 34-27 loss — Winston was benched in favor of J.J. McCarthy, the former first-round pick acquired specifically to be New York's long-term answer. Harbaugh praised McCarthy's skill set publicly, calling it a "heck of a skill set," while Winston, to his credit, handled the demotion with class. He stated he's not bitter and plans to support McCarthy's transition — a characteristically candid response from the veteran QB.

Winston did guide the Giants to a 2-1-1 record in his four starts, and the team sits at 3-2-1. But his volatile play — and the reality that the Giants didn't trade for McCarthy to keep him on the bench — made the move feel inevitable. Winston's FSU pedigree never came with a guarantee of longevity in any one spot, and this chapter closes the same way several others have.

Around the League

Keon Coleman continued his redemption arc in Buffalo, hauling in four catches for 59 yards and a touchdown in the Bills' 33-30 win over the Raiders. Sports Illustrated noted Coleman is emerging as a stat leader at his position, finally justifying the expectations that came with his 2024 draft selection.

Jermaine Johnson II put together a productive afternoon for the Titans, recording two sacks in Tennessee's 26-20 win over the Colts — a quietly strong performance from the FSU edge rusher that deserves more attention.

Josh Sweat logged a sack for the Cardinals in their 18-16 win over the Rams, and his name is circulating in trade deadline chatter — both the Cowboys and Packers have been linked to the FSU alum as potential suitors before the deadline.

Jared Verse was held without a sack in Cleveland's 13-10 win over Baltimore, and the Browns DE addressed his sack drought with characteristic bluntness. The production hasn't been there yet, but the Browns are winning.

It was a week that captured everything FSU alumni football looks like in the NFL: star-making moments, tough breaks, and names scattered across nearly every storyline worth following.

The Jameis Winston Experience Is Very Much Ongoing

Nobody penciled Jameis Winston into the NFC East title race. And yet, here we are.

The Florida State alum who commands the most attention in the NFL this week isn't a first-round pick or a training camp headliner — it's the 32-year-old journeyman quarterback who stepped in after Jaxson Dart's season-ending knee injury and promptly turned the New York Giants into the division's most surprising team.

In Week 5 against the Washington Commanders, Winston threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns and added 27 rushing yards in a 27-27 overtime tie — a performance that, per Sports Illustrated, no Giants quarterback had matched since 1950. The tie kept New York's record at 3-1-1 and atop the NFC East, a standing that looked unthinkable when Dart went down in Week 2.

The calls to bench Winston quieted considerably after that performance. Giants head coach John Harbaugh has managed the situation carefully, including giving rookie J.J. McCarthy five snaps in the Commanders game, but Winston's stat line made those conversations moot for at least another week. The offense, built around a pass-heavy identity that may have been stumbled into by necessity, appears to be finding its rhythm — and Winston is the engine.

A big reason: tight end Isaiah Likely, who has 33 catches and four touchdowns through five games and has spoken openly about the growing chemistry between himself and Winston. "Taking the right trajectory," Likely said of the offense, according to Sports Illustrated.

The Homecoming Nobody Saw Coming

Now comes the storyline that writes itself. In Week 6, Winston and the Giants host the New Orleans Saints at MetLife Stadium — Winston's former team, the franchise that handed him a starting job before eventually moving on. The Saints arrive struggling with turnover problems and facing the task of containing both Malik Nabers and Likely in New York's now-humming passing attack.

Giants receiver Malik Nabers shared his genuine enthusiasm for Winston ahead of the matchup, and the broader narrative around New York's locker room suggests a team that has bought in — not just tolerating the stopgap, but rallying around him.

Other Seminoles Worth Watching

The Winston saga dominated, but other FSU alumni had notable moments across the league this week.

On the defensive side, Renardo Green (49ers) put together a standout afternoon in San Francisco's 32-29 win over Seattle, recording two interceptions. Darrell Jackson Jr. (Jets) continued his promising rookie campaign, adding a sack in New York's 17-12 win over Cleveland — a performance that, per Sports Illustrated, followed a breakout Week 5 and has coaches looking at ways to expand his role.

Keon Coleman (Bills) caught a touchdown in Buffalo's 37-34 Monday night win over the Rams, contributing to a competitive divisional-style atmosphere even in the regular season.

Meanwhile, Josh Sweat (Cardinals) remains at the center of trade rumors, with the Cowboys, Jaguars, and Packers all linked to the pass rusher as Arizona's 1-4 start makes his future in the desert increasingly uncertain. And Jalen Ramsey (Steelers) landed on the injury report to open Week 6, listed as out of practice, adding another storyline to track for Pittsburgh's defense.

The Seminoles' headliner, though, remains Winston — a one-time No. 1 overall pick who has found, however improbably, a stage worthy of his talent again.

Florida State alumni had no shortage of storylines in Week 5, with a career day in Buffalo, a steady hand under center in New York, and a trade cloud hanging over Pittsburgh all keeping the Seminole faithful busy.

Coleman Delivers, But Bills Fall Short

Keon Coleman turned in the best performance of his young NFL career on Sunday — and it wasn't enough. The former FSU wideout hauled in 6 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown against New England, but Buffalo dropped a 29-26 decision to the Patriots. That stat line, however, signals something real is developing in Coleman's game. According to Sports Illustrated, Coleman has shifted into a defined role player rather than forcing himself into a No. 1 receiver mold, and the advanced metrics back up the idea that the approach is working. At this pace, 2026 is shaping up as the breakout year Coleman's draft profile always hinted at — even if Week 5 ended in the wrong column.

The loss stings more given that Coleman was listed on Buffalo's injury report heading into the week. He played through it and delivered anyway.

Winston Keeps Giants in the Hunt

Jameis Winston did exactly what New York needed him to do against Arizona. The 12-year veteran threw for 250 yards and 3 touchdowns — a commanding performance — though two interceptions served as a reminder of the double-edged sword the Giants are working with. New York won 36-24, improving to 4-1, and Winston's stated singular focus ahead of the game was simple: get the Giants their fourth win. Mission accomplished, though the broader question of how far Winston can carry this team into January remains open.

Washington's defensive coaches were already scheming to exploit Winston's turnover tendencies heading into the week's film sessions, and those two picks will only sharpen that focus for future opponents. Fellow 'Nole Brian Burns, who is sidelined for the season with a knee injury, watched from his couch — posting his reaction on social media as the Giants' defense sealed the win with a pick-six.

Also on the field for the Giants-Cardinals game: Josh Sweat, now with Arizona, who recorded a sack in the loss.

Ramsey's Pittsburgh Chapter Gets Complicated

Jalen Ramsey didn't make news with his play this week — he made it with his words. The three-time All-Pro cornerback publicly put the Steelers' coaching staff on notice through the media, then took to social media to clarify his message after it drew attention. Separately, Ramsey was forced to shoot down rumors that he colluded with former teammate Joey Porter Jr. — who was traded to Dallas last week — in pushing for a departure from Pittsburgh.

The noise around Ramsey grew louder when reports surfaced linking him to the Detroit Lions as a trade target, with ESPN's Jeremy Fowler noting uncertainty about Pittsburgh's willingness to deal. Ramsey also missed Wednesday's practice, adding an injury question to an already complicated situation. For FSU fans tracking his career arc, the picture in Pittsburgh is murky — a franchise icon unsettled, and a trade market beginning to take shape around him.

Week 5 was a reminder that Florida State's NFL footprint runs deep, from Buffalo's receiving corps to the Giants' QB room to the Steelers' secondary drama.