NFL: Winston probably suspended for several games

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will probably have to do without their quarterback at the start of the season: According to corresponding reports, Jameis Winston is banned from several games because of an alleged harassment incident with an over-driver.

NFL network insider Ian Rapoport and ESPN insider Adam Schefter, among others, report that Winston will be suspended from the league. The team should not have been officially informed yet, according to Schefter it is a three-game ban.

Winston, who would lose $124,000 of his base salary for 2018 due to a 3-game suspension, is said to have been prepared for suspension in the past few days. According to first reports, the 24-year-old is not planning to appeal.

The reason for the suspension is an alleged incident in Arizona in March 2016. Winston is said to have grabbed an over-driver at the time, even though no charges were finally brought, the league started its own investigations on November 17 last year.

On the same day Winston stated in a statement: “A story was published describing an alleged incident with me and an over-driver. This story falsely accuses me of inappropriate behavior. I think the driver mistook who was sitting next to her, given the number of passengers. The accusations are false, and given the growing awareness of this kind of accusation, I address this false report immediately.”

He also denied the accusations against Uber even then, “but they decided to block my account. I support the national movement to raise awareness of such crimes and find better solutions. But this accusation is false.”

In sporting terms, it’s not a complete disaster for Tampa Bay at least – with Ryan Fitzpatrick, the Bucs have an experienced backup, who already made almost 300 snaps for the Buccaneers last season due to Winston’s shoulder injury. Accordingly, he knows the offense.

However, in an extremely important year for head coach Dirk Koetter – who was already on the brink at the end of the pre-season – the start of the season will be very difficult: The Bucs, then probably with Fitzpatrick, will start with the New Orleans Saints, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh Steelers.