Before Super Bowl 59 even kicked off, a new star was born in New Orleans—FOX Sports Correspondent Jameis Winston. The Heisman Trophy winner, NFL quarterback, and current free agent is searching for his next opportunity. But after a week working as a FOX Sports Correspondent in the Big Easy, it’s clear that once his NFL career wraps up, he won’t be a free agent for long.
FOX Sports’ SVP of Digital, Michael Bucklin, sat down with Tagboard CEO Nathan Peterson to break down the origin story, impact, and behind-the-scenes moments of what it was like to produce the Jameis Winston content rocket ship.
Thinking Big at FOX Sports
The directive within the FOX Sports family is simple: think big. That mindset was evident in their blockbuster signing of Tom Brady as their lead NFL analyst and further reinforced when they brought Derek Jeter on board for MLB coverage. So when the FOX Sports Digital team brainstormed potential correspondents to lead their coverage from the French Quarter, Bucklin challenged his team: “Who is first-table viral talent this year?”
Executive Director of Digital and Social Production Nick Rago had the answer: Jameis Winston. The team slept on the idea to make sure they were heading in the right direction. When they woke up the next morning, they knew—this was the start of Jameis Winston, FOX Sports Correspondent.
The Moment of Truth
Once FOX Sports secured their top talent, the next step was meeting Jameis in New Orleans and seeing if the execution would match their vision. As Bucklin recalls, ahead of their first dinner with Winston, he turned to his top producers and said: “This is the moment. This is when we’re going to find out if this is real—or if it’s all a charade.”
And while Jameis might be great at charades, it took only seconds to realize that what he brings to the camera is 100% real and authentically him. As the FOX team left dinner that night, they looked at each other and said, “Okay, this is real. This is going to be a fun week” . They had no idea just how much of an understatement that would be.
Unlocking the Jameis Content Machine
With Winston officially locked in, the next question was: How do you unlock his personality and capture his energy on camera?
After studying countless Jameis Winston clips, Bucklin and his team realized he’s at his best when reacting to questions. But as a correspondent, he also had to be the one to start the conversation. Over dinner, he came up with the perfect icebreaker, asking players their favorite color.
Of course, he delivered it in a way only Jameis Winston could. The result? Instant viral magic.
On night one alone, FOX Sports’ social accounts racked up 40 million views on Jameis Winston content—setting a record for the most views they had ever seen around an original production.
Producing a Content Rocket Ship
The numbers didn’t slow down after that first night. Every video was another viral unlock, each one racing into the millions of views. From eating beignets at Café du Monde in the shape of a “W” to trying to board Jaguars owner Shad Khan’s yacht, from tossing crab legs off a float to playing cowbell at a jazz club, Jameis Winston took the world on a one-of-a-kind tour of the French Quarter.
Backed by an award-winning team of producers, content creators, and digital masterminds at FOX Sports, Winston brought his signature energy to the Big Easy. The Jameis Winston content rocket ship was already soaring, but Super Bowl week launched him into an entirely new universe.
Live and local—FOX Sports Correspondent, Jameis Winston.