Jameis Winston: Uber driver’s ‘accusation is false’

Jameis Winston is being investigated by the NFL for allegedly groping a female Uber driver back in March of 2016, an allegation he patently denied Friday morning.

The investigatory report done by BuzzFeed News was full of pertinent details, including a letter sent by an NFL investigator to the woman who is accusing him (more on all that here).

Not long after the report broke, Winston issued the following statement, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

“A news organization has published a story about me regarding an alleged incident involving a female Uber driver from approximately two years ago. The story falsely accuses me of making inappropriate contact with this driver. I believe the driver was confused as to the number of passengers in the car and who was sitting next to her. The accusation is false, and given the nature of the allegation and increased awareness and consideration of these types of matters, I am addressing this false report immediately. At the time of the alleged incident, I denied the allegations to Uber, yet they still decided to suspend my account.

“I am supportive of the national movement to raise awareness and develop better responses to the concerns of parties who find themselves in these types of situations, but this accusation is false. While I am certain that I did not make any inappropriate contact, I don’t want to engage in a battle with the driver and I regret if my demeanor or presence made her uncomfortable in any way.”

Winston’s lawyer also denied the allegations against Winston, noting the woman, “Kate,” was “unable to identify the specific individual who allegedly touched this driver inappropriately. The only reason his name is being dragged in to this is that his uber account was used to call the ride.”

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers also released a statement Friday, noting they are obtaining information and are “fully supportive of the investigation being conducted by the NFL.”