Florida State Quarterback Jameis Winston Talks Podiatry

If you’re a fan of college football, you’ve probably heard the name Jameis Winston before. The redshirt freshman quarterback from Hueytown, Alabama, has been turning heads recently, leading Florida State to a 2-0 start and the number 8 ranking in the AP poll with his breathtaking efficiency (Winston has thrown more touchdown passes than incomplete passes so far). But the star quarterback came onto podiatry’s radar when he mentioned during ACC Media days before the season that he’d like to become a podiatrist when his career at Florida State (and likely the NFL as well) are over. On September 18, Podiatry School 101 caught up with Jameis to learn what it is that draws him to a career in podiatric medicine.

Podiatry School 101: What was your first exposure to podiatry?

Jameis Winston: My Dad had foot problems and my grandmother is diabetic, so when I was growing up I spent a lot of time at the Hobdy Foot Clinic in Bessemer, Alabama.

PS101: What set your experiences with podiatrists apart from your experiences with other doctors?

JW: I was closer to the podiatrist that worked on my Dad and my grandmother, Dr. Cynthia Hobdy, than I was to any other doctor. My grandmother and my Dad were in the clinic all the time. I still talk to [Dr. Hobdy] on a regular basis. In fact I was just talking to her yesterday. Us being close and her being really a part of the family, I felt that made her and what she did special.

PS 101: What is attractive to you about podiatry?

JW: I think the f[oo]t and ankle in general are extremely important. I know, especially with athletes, that if your feet aren’t right, you can’t perform well. I even took notes from this massage therapist that worked on me about the foot because I know how critical it is to have good foot health.

PS101: How do you feel that athletes like yourself could benefit from podiatrists?

JW: Athletes when they don’t get their feet checked out, when they don’t know what’s wrong with them, that puts them behind on what the problem really is, and impacts their performance on the field. I learned from Dr. Hobdy that you might have pain in your ankle but it’s not really your ankle that’s hurt, but it might be your hip or bone spurs that you need to have surgery on to fix the problem completely.

PS101: Why do you want to be a podiatrist?

JW: Really, I want to be a podiatrist because when I was little, I really enjoyed being in the clinic watching my Dad get better, watching my grandmother get better. It’s like when children say, “I want to be a firefighter,” because they see that big red truck outside when they’re playing or “I want to be a policeman,” because when they walk into the store they see a policeman or a cop car with its lights flashing. But I want to be a podiatrist, because when I was little I was at the foot clinic. If I wasn’t outside playing football or running around, I was at the foot clinic with my Dad or my grandma. That was just the first experience that I had as a kid. And it’s different. Most people don’t say, “Hey I want to be a podiatrist.” That’s different. That’s [who I am]. I just want to be different from everyone else.

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