Jameis Winston is likely to miss action during the 2018 season for an incident that happened 27 months earlier after a league investigation looked into what happened between Winston and a female Uber driver.
Winston’s public image was not great heading into the NFL after a shoplifting incident and, more notably, a sexual assault allegation while he was at Florida State. Some less-than-ideal public comments added to that, but little was made of Winston’s behavior by the NFL until a Buzzfeed investigation into an assault that was reported last November.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Thursday that Winston is likely to see a suspension as a result of the investigation.
NFL is planning to suspend Buccaneers’ QB Jameis Winston the first three games of the season for violating the personal conduct policy, league sources tell ESPN.
ESPN’s Tallahassee host Jeff Cameron initially reported Winston was bracing to be suspended – and he will be.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 21, 2018
The full ESPN report also included details about the accusation and the resulting investigation, which are troubling and involve Uber revoking Winston’s ability to use the service.
The league began its investigation in November 2017 when a woman, who identified herself as “Kate,” told BuzzFeed that Winston reached over and grabbed her crotch while waiting at a drive-thru at Los Betos Mexican Food at 2 a.m.
Restaurant management told ESPN that they did not have security footage of the drive-thru. No police charges were filed, but the driver did file a formal complaint with Uber. She told BuzzFeed that she wanted to tell the truth “about a powerful man who felt entitled to my body when all I wanted to do was my job.” Uber confirmed to ESPN that Winston’s riding privileges were revoked, but Winston did not notify the league of the complaint.
Schefter said the league is considering a three-game suspension for Winston. An Ian Rappaport tweet, however, says the league is yet to have an official suspension length in mind.
#Bucs QB Jameis Winston is expected to be suspended by the NFL for several games for the his conduct with an Uber driver, sources say. A number has not yet been finalized. Jeff Cameron of ESPN Radio 97.9 originally said three games, and one source believes that is the ballpark.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 21, 2018
Regardless, it seems the Bucs will be without Winston for a stretch of the 2018 season.
