Jameis Talks Spiritual Growth, Living The Wrong Way, Life Changes & More
April 8th, 2019
America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, talking about his spiritual life recently for a religious-based podcast, and it published today.
The Spectrum Sports Podcast (not that Spectrum) is all about talking to athletes about their journey in Christianity.
There were some noteworthy nuggets.
First, Jameis said he draws comfort that his new QB coach, Clyde Christensen, is a man of deep faith and they have talked about their religious journeys together. Also, Jameis explained how he became a Born Again Christian in Nov. 2014, and two years ago he hired a life coach, an old friend, to hold him accountable not in his day-to-day actions but on a broader level with God.
Below, Joe typed up a telling and introspective take my Jameis.
“I’ve been through ups and downs but one thing about me is that I always knew my identity wasn’t in football, that it wasn’t in baseball, I knew that my identity always has been in Christ,” Jameis said. “Just my upbringing has always led me to have a tremendous faith that God was going to see me through, and that he would not give me too much that I couldn’t bear. So I’ve always had that solid foundation of whose child I really was. No matter who my parents were and no matter who my father was, I knew who was my Savior and I knew who I was in his kingdom. So that always just instilled in me a great confidence. But actually living by the word, instead of, you know, knowing of the word has really been a great change in not only the way that I live really the way that I carry myself.
“Just growing up, you know, I was always was a guy that wanted to be liked, that wanted to be like everyone else, not really understanding that the platform that I had was different than others’. Not really understanding that God expects more from his leaders than he does of people that are not really committed to him. So being raised up like that, being raised with that foundation, I got to see really quickly that living the wrong way was really not working out for me.”
Interesting opening up from Jameis, who was very relaxed during the interview.
Later asked to name the greatest lesson he’s learned in the NFL, Jameis advised all young people to make God their source and to find a person to guide them closely and be invested in them fully. Jameis said in his first year in the NFL he “was trying to do this thing by myself.”
Joe’s glad Jameis is feeling great about his place in the world, spiritually and otherwise. That can only help him on the field, and Joe’s all about the football on these pages.
Inner peace, clear direction and great personal guidance is fantastic if it cuts the turnovers.
Another interesting nugget, Jameis went on to talk about how Gerald McCoy last year lamented how players weren’t showing up in good numbers to the bible study he led at One Buc Palace. So Jameis suggested it be brought into the locker room and, he said, it was successful. Jameis said it was good for teammates to see that team leaders don’t have all the answers.
Being a quarterback off the field is very important, Jameis said.
April 8th, 2019 at 12:48 pm
Don’t think all this has anything to do with whether or not the opposing Safety/CB catches the ball instead of our intended receiver….
April 8th, 2019 at 12:50 pm
Jaboo
If you don’t get married son imma slide into ms brezzy’s dms. Ijs bruh wtf are you waiting for? Get it together son. In j’s name I say A men.
April 8th, 2019 at 12:53 pm
Buccoff, I dont remember the Joe’s asking you which articles to write.
April 8th, 2019 at 12:54 pm
“Later asked what his greatest lesson was that he learned in the NFL, he advised all young people to make God their source and that having a person to guide them closely and be invested in them fully. Jameis said in his first year in the NFL he ‘was trying to do this thing by myself.'”
Interestingly enough that was the year he made the Pro Bowl… Soooooo…
April 8th, 2019 at 12:55 pm
Poor Jameis looks like a “walker” in that picture (from Walking Dead).
Cmon JOE!!! LOL, pick a better picture!
April 8th, 2019 at 12:58 pm
whatever it takes Jameis whatever it takes….. just win everything else is irrelevant.
you bucfans and the hard-ons for meaningless pro bowls makes me laugh every time. i guess when you own the worst winning percentage in pro sports you have to hang on to something
April 8th, 2019 at 12:59 pm
Even God covered his eyes when Jameis threw Djax’s way.
April 8th, 2019 at 1:07 pm
Interesting that he admits that he really wanted to be liked. He’ll have to learn that leadership means not everyone will like you or the way you do things, but as long as you do the right thing, you’ll at least get the respect a leader needs to be successful and effective.
April 8th, 2019 at 1:08 pm
Was just kidding about the pic…
I definitely appreciate the soul searching that Jameis has done, and I have always believed in the kid.
There is a difference between a bad person and a good person who has made some bad decisions. He is a good person. He will prove it for the rest of his life, and I have no doubt. Hopefully it will remain here in Tampa Bay.
April 8th, 2019 at 1:14 pm
Hopefully his football growth will exceed his spiritual growth….Oh…I forgot…”there ain’t no hope in football “
April 8th, 2019 at 1:17 pm
Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah… sick of it from this guy. Win! Perform at a high level or your fired. We need a solid performance at QB if this team has even a snowballs chance in hell…
April 8th, 2019 at 1:20 pm
He found religion. He knew it wasn’t between the uber drivers legs, he checked real well there.
April 8th, 2019 at 1:22 pm
You can’t win in the NFL without decent D and running game.
That’s on coaches and GM
April 8th, 2019 at 1:26 pm
Good for Jameis. A little perspective can do wonders.
April 8th, 2019 at 1:29 pm
I am no longer a practicing Christian after being one for a couple of decades. Jay-Miss should know that drunkenness, debauchery, lewd behavior, assault, having a child out of wedlock, and lying are all considered sins in the Christian faith. No one is perfect, but repeatedly making decisions that are anti-Christian makes me believe his faith is a PR sham. It’s better for him to admit publicly that he’s a d-bag than to go on a Christian podcast to talk about his faith.
April 8th, 2019 at 1:32 pm
I agree with the Blah blah blah….. None of this matters one bit on Sunday. If Winston wants that second contract he better reach out to his QB guru and get to work…..thats the only thing that will “save” his career.
April 8th, 2019 at 1:35 pm
More lip service…how many times has he said he’s learned from XYZ. Tampa should be called excuse city. He’s one of the most unlikable players in the NFL. Totally unmarketable. Maybe we’ll draft a QB so we can finally move on.
April 8th, 2019 at 1:39 pm
Not true T Rex. Mons Venus could use JW to shill for them. He’s marketable in the right market.
April 8th, 2019 at 1:43 pm
Yada yada yada
Blah blah blah
So what’s new?
Nothing……
April 8th, 2019 at 1:56 pm
Right of of Cliff Notes “How to get early release from probation”….It is all about on field chances now Jameis….you are all out of off field chances with the NFL
April 8th, 2019 at 1:57 pm
his life off the field has not been a problem now for 36 months (the incident in arizona in March 2016). if he shores up his game on the field, he can get back on the path to being what he and bucs fans hoped he could be. if he feels this is his path to success, so be it. i hope this is his path to becoming brett favre (who is remembered for great play and an imperfect life off the field that required him to rebound from personal flaws) and not his path to becoming josh mccown (a guy who never became anybody’s long term answer and came to view his journeyman status as a missionary opportunity)
April 8th, 2019 at 1:58 pm
So he was born again then grabbed the Uber driver? Or I mean he “hassled” her?
He might have to go back to that church or get his money back
April 8th, 2019 at 1:59 pm
@ D-Rome
Christianity has NOTHING to do with whether you “Practice” it or not LOL.
True Faith isn’t an ON/OFF switch.
Either you believe that Jesus died for our sins and are SAVED or you aren’t and go to HELL.
Talk about a SHAM.
Then you call HIM a D-Bag? He throws interceptions. He doesn’t beat up your boyfriend!!
At least try to do research about the Christian faith before you “Claim” to have practiced it.
If you had, you would know Forgiveness is the basis of the entire deal!!!!
Somehow, you seem mortally injured!!!!
April 8th, 2019 at 2:00 pm
Wasn’t The Good Reverend Jameis in Arizona getting baptised with his baby momma?
Nothing like a good baptism to make you wanna got to the club, get ripped
And “hassle” an uber driver….ijs.
April 8th, 2019 at 2:07 pm
Good for you Jameis.
April 8th, 2019 at 2:12 pm
That was my point. For Jay-Miss, it’s an On/Off switch. He turns it off, does what he wants, and then wants forgiveness and second chances when his sin has found him out. That is not what being a Christian is all about.
It would have been easier for you to admit you’re an FSU fan than to excuse Jay-Miss. I’ll forgive you for being an FSU fan.
April 8th, 2019 at 2:16 pm
I know guys who have had very successful jobs who have chosen to follow the path when they feel the word calls them. I certainly don’t feel that being a Christian or being reborn is anything wrong. But if I was a GM or someone looking to trade for Jameis I would be very careful. Smf that concerns me for the Bucs future. Just knowing that the guy is deeply Christian and almost sounds like he could take a step towards being a preacher and life coach himself at some point I’d be worried that after he made his money and his family was taken care of he would just walk away from the game.
April 8th, 2019 at 2:18 pm
Something not smf
April 8th, 2019 at 2:21 pm
Sc
I trust dancers from mons venus alone with children before i would leaders of your cult.
Jameis has been a victim of a pc culture gone crazy
April 8th, 2019 at 2:21 pm
Alanbucsfan Says:
April 8th, 2019 at 1:22 pm
You can’t win in the NFL without decent D and running game.
BINGO!!!
Now I lay me down to sleep….I pray for a running game and a defense that won’t get burned deep.
April 8th, 2019 at 2:26 pm
I applaud Jameis for doing that ‘religious-based podcast’ to explain his spiritual journey and also you Joe for publishing this piece. Enjoyed listening to the podcast. It sounds like these past 5 years have helped Jameis gain perspective about what’s REALLY important in life. Having kids certainly does make a difference in most men’s lives.
April 8th, 2019 at 2:26 pm
Nick Foles is a guy that has been the same since his college days and in the pros as far as being devoted and continually sharing whenever he gets a chance another is case keenum, seems the ones that aren’t out there telling people they are born again are the real deal. I hope jameis is doing this for real and it is not fake just to get out of an NFL mandated be good to stay in the league…..just win some games jameis
April 8th, 2019 at 2:33 pm
Joe – stop being a punk. Moderation of my messages is BS. You have never blocked a single message of mine. Knock it off!!!!!!!!!!!
April 8th, 2019 at 2:33 pm
If you have done something bad or wrong….
and you DO NOT want to make yourself a better person from it….
than you are just a BAD PERSON.
It’s really that simple.
That’s really all one can if they truly desire to be GOOD.
Some don’t. I believe he does.
April 8th, 2019 at 2:33 pm
Or ELSE!!!!!!!!!
April 8th, 2019 at 2:36 pm
Can I speak now?
April 8th, 2019 at 2:37 pm
Cool. Thanks Joe. I appreciate you not blocking my messages.
April 8th, 2019 at 2:40 pm
Talk and PR are cheap and plentiful.
I really do hope that Winston is serious about what he said, being a spiritual leader on and off of the field.
However, I have concerns about it since he groped the female Uber driver one week after he and his fiance were baptized then spent the next two years lying about it.
Maybe Winston has learned a hard lesson. At this point I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Alright Mr. Winton, you have talked the talk, now walk the walk.
April 8th, 2019 at 2:40 pm
Oh, I donno man,..this is getting weird.
April 8th, 2019 at 2:43 pm
We are the Cleveland Browns of the South. We are the Washington Generals playing against the Harlem Globe Trotters…
April 8th, 2019 at 2:45 pm
I hope BA can turn this busted a$$ pirate ship around.
April 8th, 2019 at 2:45 pm
*****D-Rome*****
I see why you got out of the faith. I would hate to have to live up to your judgmental finger.
Just so we are clear, JW is exactly the type of person Christ died for. If you happen to find someone without sin please let us know. Thank God Jesus settled the SIN issue over 2000 years ago.
Maybe you would still be a Christian if you would have read the book!
April 8th, 2019 at 2:47 pm
To me he had a clean slate coming out of college but that was erased by the Uber incident which turned out to be right after has was baptized. Makes me not believe any commitment that he makes. The incident was 3 years ago but the lies were last year. I hope he proves me wrong but I don’t need him to be a role model.
Honestly I wish he would just be his true self in his personal and professional life and just play. Stop worrying about what others think and stop worrying about the interceptions. Trust your instincts, let it rip and lets see what happens. He cannot succeed by trying not to make mistakes. It may be a disaster but I don’t think he can succeed any other way.
April 8th, 2019 at 2:47 pm
@D-Rome … For Jay-Miss, it’s an On/Off switch”. Thought-provoking comment D-Rome, but I tend to think we’re all like that at various times in our lives, regardless of which religious path we choose. Life happens – and we deal with it. Sometimes it’s pretty but sometimes it gets UGLY. But perhaps (?) “forgiveness & second chances” is exactly what being a Christian is all about. If not for that, things could get REALLY REALLY UGLY once our walk here is finished.
Two bumper stickers that I get tickled by. One says “If you live your life as if there is no God, you’d better be right”. The other? “Jesus loves you … but I’m His favorite”.
April 8th, 2019 at 2:49 pm
I don’t know about anybody else but, I’m always a bit “put off” when religion seeps into sports.
THE GOLDEN RULE! Just be a good person. Is that so difficult?!
Use whatever inspiration you need, just don’t hide behind it when you do wrong.
April 8th, 2019 at 2:54 pm
@DB55
I could have sworn he got married at some point over the past year. I think I remember him saying he went on a honeymoon.
I could be wrong though.
April 8th, 2019 at 2:55 pm
^ I hear ya on that, Bucsfanman.
To be fair, JW wasn’t really trying to speak to the football fans though.
He was addressing a Christian Podcast.
April 8th, 2019 at 2:55 pm
Bucsfanman, religion has been a part of sports since the beginning of sports.
Heck, the Olympics were first held to honor Greek gods.
April 8th, 2019 at 2:57 pm
Or named after the home of them anyway.
April 8th, 2019 at 2:57 pm
@ Bucsfann
I agree. It is just a PR stunt put in action by his agent. Nobody in their right mind gives two craps what this cat says to the press anymore. Put it on the field when it counts and we will love the heck out of you… we loved Doug Williams and he wasn’t all that great. Come on man!!! Stop with this BS and just win!!!
April 8th, 2019 at 3:02 pm
^^ He wasn’t speaking to the press, Marine Buc, LOL.
But I understand what you are saying about just wanting to see him win on the field. We ALL want that!
April 8th, 2019 at 3:12 pm
bro I want you to talk being more accurate and processing your reads better.
Jason now get this man a running game and an offensive line cause he damn sure doesn’t have either now.
April 8th, 2019 at 3:13 pm
I don’t care if he is a Christian, I care if he plays well and is a respectable man off the field. Do those and you’ve got my support. This year is make or break. I believe in Jameis – I bought the jersey this offseason. Let’s go.
April 8th, 2019 at 3:19 pm
As one of the bigger “anit-Jameis” people on this site (and I’ll admit, my vehemence has been unwavering), I’m gonna give Winston a break here. This is about the best thing I’ve heard from him……..ever. Bash religion all you want, but if he’s true to his words, this is a very good thing. But I still want the Bucs to draft a QB.
April 8th, 2019 at 3:50 pm
I don’t care if he believes in Russell’s Celestial Teapot, if he plays this year like he finished last, he’ll be fine.
Whatever works!
April 8th, 2019 at 3:53 pm
PS. I’m stoked that jameis is taking the path he his taking with religion.
It’s nearly impossible to be black and grow up in the south and not be all about
The book man.
There are some strong grandmothers out there.
April 8th, 2019 at 3:58 pm
“that he would not give me too much that I couldn’t bare”
FIFY
April 8th, 2019 at 4:49 pm
Same pathetic losers on here taking shots at someone more successful and better off than they are. It’s the 500 lb man on the couch trolling Winston no matter what positive steps he takes.
Football is brutal especially dealing with fans like this, imperfection and age. Life is more important than whether or not any of you like the player or not. When you step up to the counter to order your happy meal I doubt the person in that profession cares if you like them either. Only Geraldine cares about criticism from psychotic fans
April 8th, 2019 at 4:58 pm
If he stops the turnovers, dumbass decisions and can hit the deep ball, I don’t care if he’s a heathen…
April 8th, 2019 at 5:05 pm
Yeah but what does he as a Christian think about the male cheerleader?
April 8th, 2019 at 5:15 pm
Good for him !
Now let’s play ball
April 8th, 2019 at 5:21 pm
Joe, I’ve noticed you always seem tp present pictures of Jameis either looking a little stupid, crazy or comical. You’ve done this on a..plethera of articles. Do better man. I mean whats up with that?
April 8th, 2019 at 5:22 pm
Defense Rules…my favorite bumber stricker of all time is….”Jesus Loves You…Everyone Else Thinks You’re An As*hole.”
April 8th, 2019 at 5:53 pm
Religion! That makes sense with all the sexual abuse going on in the churches he fits right in.
April 8th, 2019 at 5:54 pm
Of course moderation
April 8th, 2019 at 6:39 pm
give me a break
April 8th, 2019 at 7:19 pm
Thank You Jesus!!! Accepting Jesus and living forever is the only thing that matters Not silly football it’s just A game! And really doesn’t mean anything!
April 8th, 2019 at 7:20 pm
I think this man is making 20 million this year.
To put in perspective for our JBF audience, that’s about 2000 double wides.
Go Jameis. True bucs fans have your back.
April 8th, 2019 at 7:20 pm
17 days…..
April 8th, 2019 at 7:23 pm
Eric—
Well said!
April 8th, 2019 at 7:24 pm
Amen Jameis!!
April 8th, 2019 at 7:41 pm
Bonzai
He proposed but they haven’t gotten married yet.
I think Breezy Boo is an exceptional young lady. Educated at an Ivy League school in fact Rice U is ranked ahead of Princeton and Cornell. She’s arguably the best athlete in the house and she’s absolutely stunning (imo) with a respect due.
So yea, I’d be running down the aisle but wtfdik
April 8th, 2019 at 7:45 pm
@ Billy_43 April 8th, 2019 at 1:59 pm
If you don’t live the values of love that Jesus preached and practiced in order serve as an example you are in for a big shock when you die. Faith alone without living a minimally Christian life is a fundamental distortion of the truth. Christian morals and ethical practices are not meaningless after thoughts having nothing to do with any kind of salvation. If you are spiritually dead inside all of the ranting and raving using Jesus name will be to no avail.
April 8th, 2019 at 8:08 pm
What ever floats your boat.
April 8th, 2019 at 8:41 pm
Bla bla bla, that isn’t why your inaccurate.
April 8th, 2019 at 9:24 pm
Yawn
April 8th, 2019 at 9:40 pm
See when you have a loosing team and your owners and G M are ok loosing this is all there is to talk about. We should ask why we have to suffer watching this guy toss ints for a fifth straight year. Painful
April 8th, 2019 at 10:02 pm
The more the man talks about the man the less I tend to trust/ believe the man !!
About on par with over stating of My Friend , My Friend by Man I don’t really know !!
April 8th, 2019 at 10:10 pm
In the end football is just a game.
April 8th, 2019 at 11:27 pm
Jameis is going about trying to rebuild his character, good for him, and his PR team is obviously earning their nickel. Do we want Tim Tebow out there, though? Or do we want Tom Brady? On the football field we need more lions and less lambs, and that’s got to start with a QB who is a cold blooded assassin.
I am more worried than ever about our quarterback now, honestly. Is his aggressive attacking style of play going to decline as he moves more deeply into this introspective humility trip? Can he play with that fire and edge?
I’ll be honest, every single one of the true Christians that I ever played with made it “God’s will” whether they won or lost — so you ended up with a teammate who didn’t have that fire in his belly to win, who didn’t hate to lose. And that means your team’s about to suck. Especially if that player is a leader.
April 9th, 2019 at 9:49 am
Jameis will never be able to live down his past. Pro football has this same story. And every comment is negative. Crab legs this and he has changed until he gets another hot Uber driver.
April 9th, 2019 at 10:17 am
^ Good to know that you are perfect, Jeff, with no mistakes. Nicely done.
April 9th, 2019 at 2:35 pm
When Philly Won the Super Bowl, their owner, their Coach, and top Player all thanked the Lord in their speeches. The Coach of the Virginia Cavaliers Championship Basketball Team last night professed his thanks to his Lord and Savior. When the Bucs turned the corner to a winning culture under Coach Dungy he created a team that prayed together and many became members of the Christian Athletes Association, and you see its members pray together with members from the opposing team on the field after games accross the NFL. So Jameis espousing his Faith is a good thing; not a bad thing. It goes hand in hand with winning. Another example is Clemson’s Coach thanking the Lord after winning the College Football National Championship.