Nike Decides to Not Renew Jameis Winston's Contract
Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston is no longer under contract with Nike, according to Darren Rovell and Seth Wickersham of ESPN.com.
Rovell and Wickersham report that Winston's deal with Nike expired prior to the NFL issuing Winston a three-game suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy. They add that a Nike official confirmed to ESPN on Friday that Winston's deal will not be renewed.
The No. 1 pick from the 2015 draft will miss the start of the season because of a 2016 incident, in which he allegedly groped an Uber driver while in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Winston initially denied the allegations but has since apologized for his actions in relation to the alleged assault. After the NFL suspended Winston in June, the Uber driver issued a statement in which she said, "I appreciate this apology even if it needs some work."
Winston is entering his fourth season in the NFL this year. Tampa Bay is expected to start Ryan Fitzpatrick in his place for the first three games of the season.
