“I was doing this celibacy thing”: Engaged New York Giants QB Jameis Winston gave up intimacy with then-fiancee Breion Allen for one solid reason (Image via Getty: Jameis Winston)
Because he wanted to stay completely and wholeheartedly focused on football, the New York Giants veteran quarterback revealed on the New Heights podcast in January 2026 that he and his now-wife, then-fiancee, Breion Allen, chose to abstain from s*x during one of his Tampa Bay Buccaneers contract years [2019].
Jameis Winston took the phrase “locked in” to a whole new level. “I was doing this freakin’ celibacy thing,” Winston said, explaining his decision to temporarily put intimacy on the sidelines of his personal life. He just didn’t want any distractions.
Does abstinence improve NFL players like Jameis Winston’s performance?
A PubMed Central study deduced that sexual activity within 30 minutes to 24 hours before exercise did not majorly affect aerobic fitness, muscular endurance, or strength and power; in short, physical performance. The New York Giants have since rewarded him with a two-year, $13 million extension through 2028, adding another intriguing chapter to the veteran quarterback’s unconventional NFL career. For 2019, the year that Jameis Winston prevented intimacy, he recorded – 5,109 passing yards, 33 touchdowns, and 30 interceptions in 16 games playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
As shocking as it may sound, you read that right. film study, and staying healthy, Winston wanted to avoid one particular distraction While most players entering a contract year worry about statistics. But did giving up s*x actually make him a better football player? The answer is a little more twisted than the locker-room myths might suggest. Here is where science throws a flag on the much-debated play. There is no strong evidence that sexual abstinence directly makes an athlete stronger, faster or more explosive on the gridiron. So, contrary to one of sports’ oldest myths, NFL players do not naturally gain some mysterious physical advantage by avoiding s*x before games. Another systematic review similarly found that sexual activity the day before competition did not appear to negatively affect athletic performance. Simply put, Jameis Winston was not necessarily protecting some precious reserve of quarterback power by practicing celibacy for a year. The potential advantage was probably between the ears. For Winston, the biggest benefit may have been psychological. A contract year can bring enormous pressure to prove oneself. Every throw, mistake, and performance suddenly feels like it could gravely affect a player’s next paycheck. By intentionally removing one crucial part of his personal life, Winston may have created a stricter self-routine that kept his attention focused on football. That does not mean every NFL player should suddenly start mimicking Winston. Instead, his experience shows how athletes sometimes use personal sacrifices to reinforce self-discipline. If avoiding s*x helped Winston feel more focused, committed, and mentally prepared, then it may have benefited his overall preparation. The catchword, nevertheless, is focus. Any advantage would come from the strong mindset and stringent lifestyle surrounding the decision – not from abstinence itself magically boosting athletic ability on the gridiron. And Winston certainly made his contract-year strategy unforgettable. There is another side to the intimacy story, too. Abstinence is not inherently harmful, but forcing yourself into it when you do not truly want to can probably give rise to other things like frustration, stress, or relationship tension. For an athlete, obsessing over the strict restriction could even become another distraction – the exact opposite reaction of what was wanted. There is also no proven scientific basis for the idea that athletes need to avoid s*x to preserve testosterone, strength, or aggression. Research has not consistently supported those long-standing, mythical locker-room beliefs. Join conversation Share your thoughts in the comments Be respectful · TOI community guidelines In the end, Winston’s celibacy experiment seems to have been about self-discipline rather than physiological benefit. If stepping away from s*x helped him eliminate distractions and feel mentally sharper during a crucial stage of his career, then it probably worked for him. But football players do not need to give up their s*x lives to perform at their very best on the gridiron. Winston simply chose a rather unforgettable way to say: when the contract was on the line, football came first. Before anything else. That was his career-best performance! Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.