This makes 100% sense.
I can see Jameis telling people he got the hook up on crab legs and someone at FSU realizing this could be an NCAA violation telling him to say quiet. That is what an NFL GM implied to Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman.
“Our investigators found several Publix employees who corroborated what Winston said. Winston told this story to our team and I believe others. We were able to determine that he was telling the truth. I won’t get into more detail than that.
“Should Winston have taken free food? No, of course not. But college football stars, at every campus in America, get free stuff. They all do. Every single one.
“We feel like Winston was wrong but he’s part of an overall college system where this happens daily. My personal opinion is that on this issue, and this issue alone, he was hung out to dry.”
Meaning, it was easier to portray Winston as a thief, than to face scrutiny from the NCAA.
It is not unusual for athletes to get a lot of free stuff, that has been happening since the beginning of time. Jameis just got caught and considering the situation, someone at FSU thought it would be best for him to accept responsibility, so his eligibility for the upcoming football season wouldn’t be jeopardized.