NFL Quarterback Jameis Winston, Girlfriend Get Baptized at Spiritual Retreat
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback and former Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston and his girlfriend were baptized last weekend at a ministry retreat for professional athletes in Colorado, according to a video posted to social media.
The 22-year-old Winston and his girlfriend, Breion Allen, attended a spiritual retreat hosted by Pro Athletes Outreach, which according to its website, "exists to unite a community of pro athletes and couples to grow as disciples of Jesus and positively impact their spheres of influence."
Allen, who has been dating Winston since 2013, shared a video on Instagram over the weekend showing her and her 6-foot-4, 227-pound, bare-chested boyfriend being submersed into a pool by two officials from the Pro Athletes Outreach ministry.
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Following their emergence from the water, dozens of professional athlete spectators erupted with cheers for the couple's step of faith.
As for Allen, this was the first time that she had ever accepted Jesus in her life.
"Last night I accepted Christ into my life for the first time," Allen wrote in her Instagram post. "So thankful for this #PAO experience for helping me grow closer in my faith and to be around people trying to do the same."
The video was first discovered by the entertainment website TMZ. The news outlet reports other NFL stars attended the retreat, including free agent cornerback Antonio Cromartie, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Brian Hartline and retired Super Bowl-winning quarterback Kurt Warner.
Another Instagram post by Miranda Brooke, who is the wife of Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green, states that she and her husband also got baptized at the Pro Athletes Outreach event. Brooke shared a picture of her and her husband fully submersed in the pool.
"Getting baptized alongside my husband was one of the greatest moments that I've ever experienced. Tonight was special," Brooke wrote in her post. "God is REAL and He lives within us. We are ready for new beginnings!"
Brooke also posted a video from the event that shows a number of NFL players and their spouses gathered around the pool.
"I just want to shed light because the media doesn't know much about THIS side of the NFL community," Brooke wrote. "We are holding each other accountable and growing together in the name of Christ."
According to the Daily Mail, Pro Athletes Outreach has been operating for over 45 years to bring professional athletes from various sports together for prayer, workshops and to listen to religious and motivational speakers. The event is usually attended by hundreds of professional athletes.
The baptism could be a monumental moment for Winston, who has had several off-the-field issues throughout his college career.
Although Winston gained notoriety at Florida State as a National Championship-winning quarterback, his off-the-field issues caused several NFL pundits to question his character and leadership abilities prior to becoming the first pick in the 2015 NFL draft.
Winston was accused of raping fellow FSU student Erica Kinsman in December 2012 when he was a redshirt freshman. Tallahassee police conducted an investigation into the accusation but Winston was never prosecuted.
Kinsman filed a civil lawsuit against Winston in the spring of 2015, just weeks before the draft seeking up to $15,000.
She accused him of "sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, and intentional infliction of emotional distress arising out of forcible rape." A trial date is tentatively set for the spring of 2017.
Kinsman also filed a Title IX lawsuit against FSU, claiming that FSU was "deliberately indifferent" to her claim of sexual assault. The lawsuit added that the school's response was "clearly unreasonable." About a year after filing the lawsuit, the school agreed to a $950,000 settlement with Kinsman in order to avoid more legal costs.
In 2014, Winston was given a citation for shoplifting crab legs from a Publix grocery story. However, Winston claimed that he was given the crab legs for free by a store employee.
In 2013, Winston and his friends were accused of stealing soda from a Burger King near the FSU campus. TMZ obtained audio of a phone call made by a Burger King employee to a non-emergency police hotline.
The employee said that Winston entered with three friends and began to fill soda into ketchup cups without paying for it. The employee claimed she told Winston that he was committing a crime and he allegedly said that he "didn't care." Additionally, the group was "causing a big scene out front" and "refusing to leave."
