Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston went to great lengths this offseason to avoid a sophomore slump. He lost 18 pounds by adhering to a tailored diet and vigorous exercise regimen, with the emphasis being quickness and flexibility.
He had no clue how to even begin approaching the offseason but knew he didn’t want to hit a sophomore slump.
“I heard from around the league that most rookies that come in, if they have a great year, they don’t have a plan for the offseason,” Winston said, per Britt McHenry of ESPN. “I had never handled an actual offseason before.”
With that as his starting point, Winston approached Tim Grover, a trainer who has worked with the likes of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, per McHenry. Understanding that he was dealing with a 22-year-old who had never before tried to hone his body in any major way, he started out incrementally when it came to a change in diet .
“He’s 22 years old; I’m not going to tell him you’re not going to go out and eat only kale,” Grover said. “Instead of eating a whole bag of potato chips, cut it down by a third. It’s too difficult to give individual food plans, and it’s better to change eating habits.”
Winston admits he still does eat chips but goes for healthier options like Sun Chips and kettle cooked chips, but he stopped his habit of pounding a bag before bed at night. Instead, he eats a bit with his lunch, which has made a huge difference in how his body processes them.
The biggest change this offseason, besides which foods Winston was putting into his body, was a workout routine like none other he’d ever experienced before. They met for one week per month, going twice per day, and Winston wasn’t quite prepared for what Grover put him through.
He admits “it was pretty tough,” but he never quit.
“I didn’t think he was going to last the whole workout my first time around, but he didn’t quit,” Grover said. “Even though he didn’t look like he’s in the best shape from a conditioning standpoint, he could run for days. He is a worker, he’s a gym rat. He’s constantly watching film.”
The hard work paid off, and Winston says his body “feels much better.” He also noted that the biggest byproduct is that by getting and staying in shape, he won’t have to go through the ordeal of getting back into shape for training camp.
He racked up 4,042 yards last year as a rookie, throwing 22 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Given his work ethic, commitment to approaching his career with professionalism and natural talent, it’s safe to say Winston’s best is still ahead of him.