Eric Winston

Eric Joseph Winston (born November 17, 1983) is an American football offensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football league. He was drafted by the Houston Texans in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami.

Early years
Winston played high school football at Robert E. Lee High School in Midland, Texas, where he was ranked amongst the most talented high school tight ends in the country. He played alongside fellow NFL running back Cedric Benson, where the two helped win three Texas 5A State Titles.

He chose to attend college at the University of Miami after being heavily recruited by several other schools. During his time at Miami, he joined the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity.

College career
At Miami, Winston majored in International Finance and Marketing and played offensive tackle. He initially was set to play tight end for the Hurricanes, but made the switch before his sophomore year. Winston was widely considered one of the best offensive tackles to enter the 2006 NFL Draft. However, an anterior cruciate ligament injury during his junior year made his draft stock drop, and several draft scouting organizations express slight worry over the possible implications of the injury and subsequent surgery on his play. His stock for the draft improved, however, when he ran a 4.93 40 yard dash at the NFL Combine. Also a standout student, Winston graduated in 3 years with above a 3.5 GPA and was a 2005 All-America selection.

Houston Texans
Winston was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He started the final seven games as a rookie at right tackle in 2006 and proceeded to start 87 games for them until 2011. He signed a contract extension prior to the 2008 season. The Texans released him on March 12, 2012.

Kansas City Chiefs
Winston signed with the Kansas City Chiefs on March 17, 2012.

Personal
Winston is married to Jenny, they have a son Jackson. He has a younger brother named Andrew, who also played for Midland Lee. He was a dancer as a child.

On October 7, 2012, Winston called out the Kansas City Chiefs fans for cheering after an injury to QB Matt Cassel. In a post game interview, he claimed "this isn't the Roman Collosseum" and "it is hard economic times". He mentioned that he came to the understanding he probably won't live as long because he plays this game, but cheering over a player getting knocked out is "100% sickening". Since the incident, Winston has become one of the premier offensive linemen in the NFL and a team leader in the locker room. He continues to protect Cassel to this day.