Choctaw tribal member James Winchester on the field for the Kansas City Chiefs. He expects to see action this fall as a long snapper for the NFL team. (Photo courtesy Kansas City Chiefs)
Winchester takes Sooner success to the next level
By Zach Maxwell
Choctaw Nation
James Winchester, of Washington, Okla., is the latest Choctaw to “go pro” in the world of sports.
Winchester hails from a family known for its success in athletic efforts at the University of Oklahoma. Winchester, his father and both sisters have all made their marks on Sooner sports.
He is taking it to the next level as a deep snapper for the Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL. Winchester will be on the roster for training camp and likely well into the pre-season as he competes with another deep snapper for the only position on the squad.
“There’s not a spot available every year, so it’s a ‘right place at the right time’ sort of thing,” he said. “It’s been my goal and dream to play in the NFL, so I’m thankful for this opportunity to go to work every day and make this dream a reality.”
He was a punter at Washington High School, just like his father Michael was at OU for their 1985 national championship.
But James also dabbled in the world of quarterbacks, giving him the foundation to be a long snapper at OU. He “won the job” for the first three games of his freshman year in Norman and remained with the team through the 2011 season as its deep snapper.
He tried out for the NFL at the 2012 Kansas City rookie camp, but was told he needed to bulk up his 6-foot-4 frame. While working on this, he also tried his hand in the oil and gas fields of southern Oklahoma.
And, he didn’t give up on his dream. He caught the attention of several NFL teams in 2013, signing with the Philadelphia Eagles but losing the coveted spot to a longtime veteran.
Winchester found himself back in roughneck country in Oklahoma, but he kept working out at high school weight rooms or anywhere he could find in the remote oil and gas fields.
“It’s tough to stay in shape when your career is taking you outside of football,” he said. He tried out for the Colts and Browns, and attended a free agent camp in Arizona.
Finally, he signed with the Chiefs in March of this year and has been involved in a strength and condition program since April.
Winchester’s involvement with Choctaw Nation included a role as part of a tribally-sponsored rowing team at Paddle for the Cure, a “dragon boat” race in Oklahoma City. He assisted friend Seth Fairchild, from the Chahta Foundation, as well as former OU teammate Jordan Eagle Road and his brother Billy in this effort to raise funds and awareness in the fight against breast cancer.
His first NFL community service event was also special, he said. The “Punt, Pass & Kick” event was held in Lawrence, Kansas in conjunction with the American Indian Center of the Great Plains recently.
“I met a lot of Choctaw kids, so it was neat for it to be my first community service event,” Winchester said.
His sister Rebecca was a walk-on for the OU rowing team and eventually earned scholarships in the sport, as did another sister, Carolyn, in Lady Sooners basketball.