Jameis Winston is playing Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers despite reportedly having four fractures in his back.
The New Orleans Saints quarterback is in “a lot” of pain, according to FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer.
News of a back injury first emerged following the Saints’ season opener last Sunday. Winston led New Orleans to a 27-26 win over the Atlanta Falcons, but was seen at the medical tent in the fourth quarter. When asked about what specifically was bothering him, he said he was experiencing “pain everywhere.”
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This pain seemed to persist throughout the week as he was limited in practice and listed as questionable for Sunday’s matchup against Tom Brady and the Bucs. By Saturday, Winston seemed to be in the clear with news leaking that the quarterback was expected to suit up. However, the four fractures were reported hours before kick off.
But Winston still made the start in what has been dubbed a “revenge game.”
The 28-year-old spent the first five years of his career in Tampa Bay, marked by injuries and controversies. Winston -- who was involved in a highly-public sexual assault investigation during his time at Florida State -- was suspended three games in 2018 for violating the league’s personal conduct policy after allegedly groping an Uber driver.
Despite posting career-best numbers in 2019, the Bucs opted not to re-sign him, instead locking down Brady in a surprising free agency move. Winston then joined New Orleans as backup to Drew Brees.
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While Winston took the reins under center in 2021 following Brees’ retirement, posting a 5-2 record, his season was ultimately cut short. In his first matchup against the Bucs, Winston was injured on a horse collar tackle by Devin White. It was later revealed that he suffered a torn ACL and would miss the remainder of the season.