The pending three-game suspension of Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston has now been made official.
#Bucs QB Jameis Winston has been suspended 3 games, I’m told.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 28, 2018
Following the announcement, Winston himself released a statement.
“The NFL informed me today that I will be suspended for the first three games of the season,” Winston said, via NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. “First and foremost, I would like to say I’m sorry to the Uber driver for the position I put you in. It is uncharacteristic of me and I genuinely apologize. In the past 2 1/2 years my life has been filled with experiences, opportunities and events that have helped me grow, mature and learn, including the fact that I have eliminated alcohol from my life.”
It certainly looks like Winston is accepting responsibility for his role in a 2016 incident in which an Uber driver alleged that he assaulted her in Arizona.
“I know I have to hold myself to a higher standard on and off the field and that I have a responsibility to my family, community, and teammates to live above the platform with which God has blessed me,” Winston continued. “I apologize to my teammates, the Buccaneers organization and fans for letting them down and for not being able to be out there for the first three games of the season.”
Unlike recent suspensions around the NFL, it doesn’t look like Winston is going to fight this three-game ban. That means Ryan Fitzpatrick will start the season under center for Tampa Bay.
As it relates to Winston, the first step to recovery is acknowledging that you have a problem. Let’s hope his words are met with action moving forward.