Winston suspended for three games
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will open the season without quarterback Jameis Winston, who has been suspended three games — including a Sept. 24 home game against the Steelers — for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
Winston said in a statement released on Facebook that the NFL informed him of its decision on Thursday. The discipline stems from the league’s investigation of an accusation that the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner groped a female Uber driver during a ride the quarterback took in Arizona, where Winston was attending a charity event in March 2016.
The driver did not file a criminal or civil complaint; however, she reported the incident to Uber. The NFL learned of it when it was reported publicly last November.
Winston, 24, was accused of raping a fellow student at Florida State but was never charged. The university settled a Title IX lawsuit over its handling of the allegations with Winston’s accuser, Erica Kinsman, for $1.7 million.
Panthers
The NFL fined former Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson $2.75 million after its investigation into sexual and racial misconduct in the workplace.
The league said Thursday the investigation substantiated the allegations against Richardson, that the improper conduct was limited to him and that the team and its ownership failed to report the allegations or any resolution agreements to the league.