Winston must undergo a clinical evaluation and cooperate with any program of therapeutic interventionGETTY IMAGES
The NFL has suspended Buccaneers QB Jameis Winston for the first three games of the '18 season after an investigation found that he "violated the NFL's personal conduct policy by touching a female Uber driver in Arizona in 2016 'in an inappropriate and sexual manner without her consent,'" according to a front-page piece by Greg Auman of the TAMPA BAY TIMES. Winston will be "required to 'obtain a clinical evaluation and fully cooperate with any recommended program of therapeutic intervention.'" Failure to do so will "result in additional punishment, 'including a potential ban from the NFL.'" No criminal charges have been "filed against Winston, but the language of the NFL's statement lines up with what would constitute felony sexual abuse." The NFL conduct policy "uses six games as a 'baseline' suspension for violations 'involving assault, battery, domestic violence or sexual assault.'" The legal definition of those terms can "vary from state to state, which may explain why Winston's attorneys were able to mitigate the suspension to three games" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 6/29).
REACHING DEAL WITH NFL: Winston on Thursday apologized for his actions, and NFL Network's Tom Pelissero cited sources as saying that the apology "was part of the negotiated settlement on his 3-game suspension." Pelissero: "He does not admit guilt to the conduct the NFL says violated the policy. But he acknowledges he was drinking that night and doesn't remember everything" (TWITTER.com, 6/28). In DC, Mark Maske notes the NFL "managed to resolve a significant player-disciplinary case without an all-out courtroom confrontation." Winston is a "prominent player" but this case has "not generated the public outcry nor the controversy" that the Tom Brady and Ezekiel Elliott cases did. Now that the league has "avoided a return trip to federal court, there is the prospect" that the '18 season "might proceed without an exhaustive public reexamination of the merits of the NFL’s system of player justice." A source said, "This was in everyone’s best interest" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 6/29).
HERE WE GO AGAIN: USA TODAY's Nancy Armour notes Winston’s punishment is "half the supposed baseline for domestic and sexual violence -- a benchmark the NFL rarely meets." Winston appears to have "cooperated with the investigation, and has already said he will not appeal his punishment," and that apparently is "worth three games of grace." Armour: "Please, tell me again how much the league cares about women" (USA TODAY, 6/29). ESPN's Mina Kimes said, "Why three games? Ezekiel Elliot was suspended for six games. Clearly the NFL is giving (Winston) a lighter suspension because he cooperated. Does that mean if you cooperate, they will be more lenient toward you if you assault women than if you deflate footballs?" ("Around The Horn," ESPN, 6/28). SI.com's Jenny Vrentas writes the NFL's "six-game standard has been far from that; in truth, it’s been the exception rather than the rule, applied to just a handful of cases" since '14. If the personal conduct policy has been violated then the "baseline punishment should be applied." The NFL, "to its credit, did that" with Elliott. Vrentas: "Why, then, soften that stance with Winston?" (SI.com, 6/29). ESPN's Mike Golic: "Suspend him for the six freaking games. Whatever your policy is, just do that. Whatever number you made it, keep it at that number. You can go higher if you want but you are not going lower" ("Golic & Wingo," ESPN Radio, 6/29). PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Michael David Smith writes when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell "claimed there would be a six-game suspension for a first offense" in cases like these, he "wanted the public to believe that the NFL now had a strong standard for crimes against women." As it has turned out, there is "no such standard other than the NFL’s continuing decision to make up suspensions as it goes along" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 6/29).
TIME TO CUT TIES? In Tampa, Tom Jones writes the Buccaneers "should cut ties with Winston immediately." Jones: "What else do the Bucs need to hear? What else does Winston need to do? What line does he need to cross? How can you possibly employ this man any longer? How can you put his photo on the side of your stadium? How can you sell his jersey? How can you send him out to talk to kids?" This is now "about the Glazers." The Bucs are their team and this is "their reputation and legacy we're talking about." If Winston stays on the team, it is "because the Glazers say it's okay" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 6/29). ESPN's Damien Woody asked, "If you're the Bucs, what do you do?" Winston is the "CEO of your franchise, supposed to be the face of your franchise." Woody: "I would cut him, personally. There's been too many things that led up to this." The Bucs have "got to restore some type of order" ("NFL Live," ESPN, 6/28). ESPN's Tony Kornheiser: "If I'm Tampa Bay, I've got to ask myself, how long are we going down the road with this guy?" ("PTI," ESPN, 6/28). ESPN's Sarah Spain said she "can't imagine there is anything" the Bucs can do to "make fans feel good about watching him line up and put a uniform on" ("Around The Horn," ESPN, 6/28)
