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Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jameis Winston suspended three games

By James Yarcho

NEW ORLEANS, LA - DECEMBER 24: Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers warms up prior to playing the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on December 24, 2016 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - DECEMBER 24: Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers warms up prior to playing the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on December 24, 2016 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /
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NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport announced that Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis  Winston has been officially suspended three games by the NFL.

There. It’s done. No more speculating, no more guessing. Jameis Winston has been suspended by the NFL for three games as a result of allegations brought forward by an Uber driver from March 2016 that he groped her.

Jameis Winston released a statement following the suspension;

Now, Winston seemed to somewhat admit guilt without admitting guilt in this statement, contradicting his previous statement when the allegations surfaced. Winston states he is remorseful for the position he put the driver in which could mean he did what he was accused of, he is aware that he made her uncomfortable but doesn’t admit to groping her, or – as you read further – it could mean something else.

Winston also came out with the information that he’s eliminated alcohol from his life. As I’ve stated before, if this night was the result of alcohol or substances that doesn’t excuse the behavior. However, if the alcohol intake was so great that he’s now realized he can’t trust himself with drinking, he may not even know what happened. Again, we’re never going to know the true story of what occurred that evening.

The fact that he’s accepted that he has an alcohol problem is a big step in the maturity I’ve spoken about up to this point. That he can’t keep putting himself in these positions. Changing the crowd he runs around with would also be a big step, but we don’t know if he’s done that or not.

At the end of the day, Winston is officially on paper thin ice with the fans and likely with the organization. Drafting him number one overall with all the baggage from Florida State – true or not – was a big risk to begin with. Now, Winston has done exactly what people were afraid he would when he was selected and that’s get himself in trouble.

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All Winston can do at this point is perform on the field, continue to give to the community, and keep his name out of the headlines for negative reasons for this to slowly become a speed bump in the rear view mirror. One more strike, and Winston may be out.

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