Jameis Winston and the 'Integrity' of the Heisman

by Jonathan Zimmerman

Jonathan Zimmerman is a professor of history and education at New York University. He is the author of Small Wonder: The Little Red Schoolhouse in History and Memory (Yale University Press).

Did Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston rape a Florida woman last December? And did authorities bungle the subsequent investigation, as the accuser's lawyer has charged?

I don't know. But here's what I do know: Winston should never have received the Heisman, which is supposed to go to "the outstanding college football player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity," according to the trust that presents the trophy.

Nobody questions the athletic achievements of Winston, whose top-ranked Florida State Seminoles will face Auburn on Jan. 6 in the BCS National Championship Game. But if you think he has displayed integrity, too, have a look at the police report filed on him last December.

And don't just read the statement by the alleged victim, who claims that Winston kept assaulting her even when another male entered the room and told him to stop. Look instead at the statements by Winston's roommate and football teammate Chris Casher....

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