The 2026 FIFA World Cup action officially arrived at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, ending in a 2-2 draw between the Netherlands and Japan. But what caught people's attention was something the New York Giants quarterback did alongside Japanese fans after the final whistle.

Jameis Winston, who signed an $8 million contract with the Giants last season, was spotted helping clean up the stadium after the game. The quarterback was present as a Fox Sports World Cup correspondent and assisting with coverage.

Winston wore a No. 4 jersey and carried a blue trash bag, just like the Japan supporters around him.

The tradition of cleaning up stadiums after matches has long been associated with Japanese fans. It dates back to 1998, when Japan played their very first World Cup game, and supporters were seen tidying up the stands before leaving.

The habit runs deep, rooted in the Japanese proverb "Tatsu tori ato wo nigosazu," which translates to: "A bird leaves nothing behind."

Four years ago, Japan fans cleaned up Khalifa International Stadium after their side's famous 2-1 victory over Germany.

"Cleaning up after football matches is an extension of basic behaviours that are taught in school, where children clean their classrooms and hallways," Scott North, professor of sociology at Osaka University, explained to the BBC in 2018. "With constant reminders throughout childhood, these behaviours become habits for much of the population."

As for Winston, his act of picking up a trash bag is a small glimpse into the kind of character he brings wherever he goes. And as the 2026 NFL season ramps up, that character is being backed by the latest rankings.

Jameis Winston Ranked Among Top 5 Backup QBs in the League

The Giants currently have Jaxson Dart as the starter and Jameis Winston as the primary backup. Despite finishing the 2025 season with a 0-2 record as a starter, Winston is being ranked among the top five backup quarterbacks in the league.

That ranking even places him above the 2026 first overall pick, Fernando Mendoza.

"Winston is an aggressive gunslinger with the ball in his hands and a motivational speaker when he's not slinging it. Not only do his pregame speeches go viral on social media, he showed last year against the Lions that he still has plenty to offer as a quarterback," Gilberto Manzano of Sports Illustrated wrote in his backup QB rankings on June 4.

According to Manzano, Winston made his case in a Week 12 loss to the Lions. The 32-year-old completed 50% of his passes for 366 yards and two touchdowns.

On top of that, Winston and Dart share a great rapport, with both feeding off each other's enthusiastic energy. Whether that dynamic helps Dart grow and perform better this season, though, remains to be seen.

What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Shubhi Rathore

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore