Jameis Winston

Jameis Winston was born in Bessemer, Alabama, to Antonor and Loretta Winston.⁠[1][2]

He attended Hueytown High School, playing football and baseball, and was named Alabama’s Gatorade Football Player of the Year in 2011.⁠[1]

He entered Florida State University and redshirted his first football season. The Texas RangersTexas RangersThe Texas Rangers are a professional baseball club in Arlington, playing in Major League Baseball’s American League West.Open the full entry selected him in the 15th round of that year’s MLB draft, but he did not sign.⁠[1][2]

He became Florida State’s third Heisman Trophy winner. At 19 years and 342 days, he was the youngest recipient at that time.⁠[1]

He led Florida State past Auburn for the 2013 season’s BCS national championship and was named the game’s offensive MVP. He finished that season with 4,057 passing yards and 40 touchdown passes.⁠[3][2]

He received an adult civil citation for taking supermarket seafood without paying and was suspended from the university’s baseball team, with 20 hours of community service required. The report specifies that he was not arrested in this incident.⁠[4]

In baseball, he made 24 relief appearances with a 1.08 ERA and seven saves. In football, he helped the team reach the inaugural College Football Playoff; across his two college football seasons, he passed for 7,964 yards and 65 touchdowns.⁠[2][5]

He was disciplined for shouting an obscene phrase on campus. The university expanded his initial half-game suspension to the entire Clemson game, and he publicly apologized for his conduct.⁠[6]

A student accused him of sexual assault in 2012; he denied the allegation. Prosecutors filed no criminal charges in 2013, and the university’s 2014 conduct proceedings did not find him responsible for the alleged violations.⁠[7]

After declaring for the NFL draft in January, he was selected first overall by the Tampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay BuccaneersThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers are an NFL professional American football team in the NFC South, playing at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. Awarded a franchise in 1974, they began play in 1976 and won Super Bowls XXXVII and LV. The Glazer family has owned the team since 1995, and Todd Bowles has been head coach since 2022.Open the full entry and signed his contract on May 1.⁠[8]

Following a rookie season with 4,042 passing yards and 22 touchdown passes, he replaced Tom BradyTom BradyTom Brady is an American retired football quarterback, sports broadcaster and investor. He played for the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, winning seven Super Bowls across twenty-three NFL seasons. His subsequent work includes sports broadcasting, team ownership and sports-related business ventures.Open the full entry on the 2016 Pro Bowl roster, becoming the first Buccaneers rookie quarterback selected.⁠[9]

He settled his accuser’s civil lawsuit.⁠[10]

The NFL suspended him for three games for misconduct.⁠[11]

An Uber driver accused him of inappropriate physical contact during a 2016 ride, the incident behind his early-season suspension. A November report stated that court filings recorded a settlement agreement between them; its terms were not disclosed.⁠[12]

He hosted A Night to Achieve Dreams to support the Dream Forever Foundation. Its Dream Rooms program provides technology-learning spaces in schools, beginning at Alexander Elementary School in Tampa.⁠[13]

He led the NFL with 5,109 passing yards that season, recording 33 touchdown passes and 30 interceptions.⁠[14][15]

He signed a one-year contract with the New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans SaintsThe New Orleans Saints are an NFL professional American football team in the NFC South, playing at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. Awarded a franchise in 1966, they began play in 1967. Sean Payton and Drew Brees led the club to victory in Super Bowl XLIV. Gayle Benson owns the team, and Kellen Moore has been head coach since 2025.Open the full entry after five seasons in Tampa Bay. He served as a backup in 2020 and earned the starting role in 2021.⁠[16][17]

He left the game against Tampa Bay with a knee injury. The next day, coach Sean Payton confirmed a torn anterior cruciate ligament and damage to the medial collateral ligament.⁠[17]

Seven years after leaving for the NFL, he completed his Florida State degree in social sciences with a minor in business. His team biography records that he resumed study online after his injury.⁠[18][19]

He signed a one-year contract with the Cleveland BrownsCleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are an NFL professional American football team that began play in the AAFC in 1946 and joined the NFL in 1950. They won four AAFC and four NFL championships. After suspending play from 1996 through 1998, the franchise resumed in 1999 with its name, colors and history retained. Its current home is Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland.Open the full entry, joining their quarterback group.⁠[20]

Against Denver, he set a Browns record with 497 passing yards and threw four touchdowns. He also threw three interceptions, two returned for touchdowns, as Cleveland lost 41–32.⁠[21]

He signed with the New York Giants as a free agent, following spells with the Buccaneers, Saints and Browns.⁠[19]

Florida State inducted him into its 2025 athletics Hall of Fame, recognizing his national championship, Heisman Trophy and college performance.⁠[5]

Against Detroit, he caught a 33-yard touchdown pass from receiver Gunner Olszewski, becoming the first Giants quarterback to catch a touchdown pass since at least 1940.⁠[19]

In the channel’s New York street interview, he recalled earning about $25 million in his draft year and initially living on endorsement income while preserving his playing salary. He discussed faith, gratitude and his father’s emphasis on education and persistence. The original video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmDeNuTUetE (opens in a new window), features him from approximately 13:16; the income figure is his own account.⁠[22]

He served as a FOX Sports World Cup correspondent.⁠[23]

The Giants announced a two-year extension, keeping him under contract through 2028.⁠[24]

The Giants announced that Winston would start after Jaxson Dart’s knee injury ruled him out for the rest of the regular season. Coach John Harbaugh said the offense would be planned around Winston’s strengths.⁠[25]

He and his wife, Breion Allen, have two children. His Dream Forever Foundation works with financially disadvantaged young people through technology education, mentoring, leadership activities and football camps.⁠[19][26]

His X account is https://x.com/Jaboowins (opens in a new window), and his personal YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is Google’s video-sharing and creator platform, founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim and acquired by Google in 2006. Built around video uploading, viewing, and creator earnings, the platform has developed Shorts, YouTube Music, Premium, YouTube TV, and products for children, and is headquartered in San Bruno, California, United States.Open the full entry channel is https://www.youtube.com/@jaboowins (opens in a new window). It features The Jameis Winston Show, Wonder in Authority and personal short videos, and links to the companion Where’s Jameis channel. His website is https://jaboowins.com/ (opens in a new window).⁠[27][28][29]