During the open portion of practice Wednesday as the Browns prepare to host the Chargers in Week 9, Eminem's "Lose Yourself" blared on the loudspeakers.
It was, perhaps, a nod not to the Detroit-based hip-hop star, but instead to QB Jameis Winston – who referenced the song after leading the Browns to a 29-24 win over the Ravens in Week 8.
"Man, there's a white boy from Detroit that I really admire named Eminem," Winston said on CBS following the game. "And he said, 'You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow. This opportunity lasts once in a lifetime.' […] But man, I'm just grateful."
While Winston's postgame interview was his first as the Browns starting quarterback, little about the 10-year veteran's approach to his leadership role changed after he earned the starting nod.
Teammates and coaches alike have described Winston's consistency from the first day he stepped in the building in March to the week leading up to his first start as a member of the Browns.
"He's the same guy all the time, whether it's on the phone or in person or at 5 a.m. or 5 p.m.," head coach Kevin Stefanski said on Wednesday. "He has a ton of energy. He's got great enthusiasm for the game, loves to talk football, loves to talk X's and O's."
Check out photos of the team working to prepare for their game this week against the Los Angeles Chargers at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Running back Nick Chubb (24) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (94) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Offensive tackle Dawand Jones (79) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Safety Grant Delpit (9) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Wide receiver Michael Woods II (81) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Running back D'Onta Foreman (27) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Safeties Coach Ephraim Banda and the safeties during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Wide receiver Kadarius Toney (87) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Offensive Coordinator Ken Dorsey during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Offensive tackle Dawand Jones (79) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Safety Grant Delpit (9) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Wide receiver Jamari Thrash (80) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. (51) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Offensive tackle Roy Mbaeteka (61) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Punter Corey Bojorquez (13) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Linebacker Nathaniel Watson (40) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Wide receiver Kadarius Toney (87) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Director of High Performance Shaun Huls during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Running back Nick Chubb (24) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Offensive guard Germain Ifedi (65) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Linebacker Mohamoud Diabate (43) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Pass Game Specialist/Tight Ends Coach Tommy Rees during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Offensive tackle Jack Conklin (78) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Safety Rodney McLeod Jr. (12) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (94) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Linebacker Nathaniel Watson (40) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Cornerback Mike Ford Jr. (31) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Offensive tackle Dawand Jones (79) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Defensive end Za'Darius Smith (99) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Linebacker Winston Reid (59) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Punter Corey Bojorquez (13) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Running back Pierre Strong Jr. (20) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Center Ethan Pocic (55) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Linebacker Devin Bush (30) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson (72) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Defensive end Za'Darius Smith (99) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Wide receiver Kadarius Toney (87) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Quarterback Bailey Zappe (2) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Offensive Assistant/Quarterbacks Coach Ashton Grant during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Running back Jerome Ford (34) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Offensive Coordinator Ken Dorsey during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Defensive Line Coach Jacques Cesaire during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (71) and Offensive tackle Lorenzo Thompson (69) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Coaching Consultant Mike Vrabel during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Center Ethan Pocic (55) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Tight end Geoff Swaim (84) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Offensive guard Zak Zinter (70) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Assistant Offensive Line Coach Roy Istvan during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Running back Nick Chubb (24) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. (51) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Center Ethan Pocic (55) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Offensive Coordinator Ken Dorsey during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Cornerback Cameron Mitchell (29) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Linebacker Nathaniel Watson (40) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Quarterback Bailey Zappe (2) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Defensive Quality Control Coach Jeff Anderson during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Defensive tackle Maurice Hurst II (90) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Linebackers Coach Jason Tarver during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Director of Strength and Conditioning Larry Jackson during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Cornerback Mike Ford Jr. (31) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Wide receiver Kadarius Toney (87) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Running back D'Onta Foreman (27) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Defensive tackle Maurice Hurst II (90) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Running back D'Onta Foreman (27) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Assistant Strength and Conditioning/Sports Science Coach Josh Christovich during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Safety Trey Dean (28) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Quarterback Bailey Zappe (2) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Coaching Consultant Mike Vrabel during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Head of Athlete Health and Performance and Strength and Conditioning Dustin Nabhan during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Offensive Assistant/Quarterbacks Coach Ashton Grant during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Offensive Coordinator Ken Dorsey during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Whether it's his viral pregame speeches or joking with his teammates in the locker room, Winston's leadership is evident.
"He's been very consistent," CB Greg Newsome II said on Wednesday. "Even when he wasn't playing, he was always one of those leaders that's always charging us up. And obviously when it was time to step in, he made a lot of plays for us."
During Wednesday's media availability with Winston, TE David Njoku walked by to his locker.
"Jameis!" Njoku yelled with a smile.
"What's up, Dave?" Winston responded.
The two connected for a touchdown in the third quarter in Week 8, the first of three touchdown passes Winston would throw. Winston finished the day with 334 passing yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions, a performance worthy of the AFC Offensive Player of the Week award. It also helped lead the Browns to their second win of the season as they beat the Ravens 29-24.
"I thought he played well," Stefanski said after the game. "I thought he got through his reads and the guys got open. He made good decisions. Wasn't perfect. He's not going to play perfect; I'm not going to coach perfect; but I thought he played well."
Winston's path to his first NFL start since 2022 was full of early mornings and late nights in the facility. Through his 10 years in the NFL, he's learned how to prepare for starts and how to best prepare the starter when Winston has been in a backup role. During the season's first seven games, Winston could be seen on the sideline talking to QB Deshaun Watson or other offensive players.
Even before he wound up as the Browns starting quarterback, Winston delivered a handful of speeches – never rehearsed – before the game.
"If you spend time trying to figure out, 'Who is this guy?', you're wasting your time," Winston said on Wednesday. "That's just who I am. I'm not rehearsing things. What I am rehearsing is our plays. If you want to hear me call a play callout, I'll rehearse that for you. I am doing that in the mirror. I am having my wife call out plays and stuff like that."
Whatever plays were being called out against the Ravens, they worked well enough for the Browns to put together their best offensive performance of the 2024 season. Now, Winston and the Browns' attention is on a 4-3 Chargers team that is coming to Huntington Bank Field in search of a win.
In order for Winston and the Browns to have the chance to "eat a W," as the quarterback is known to do, focusing on the day-to-day preparation will be paramount.
"I'm just extremely grateful for this opportunity and I'm extremely grateful for today," Winston said. "And that's what I talked about last time. My focus is on winning every single day and right now, we have to go out there and win Wednesday. So, I'm grateful that I get a chance to lead this offense on Wednesday, even at practice."
