After Jameis Winston's three-game suspension became official on Thursday, the Buccaneers quarterback released a statement that included an apology to the Uber driver whom he allegedly groped back in March 2016.
However, one notable thing about the apology is that Winston didn't actually admit to any wrongdoing.
"First and foremost, I would like to say I'm sorry to the Uber driver for the position I put you in," Winston wrote. "It is uncharacteristic of me and I genuinely apologize."
Apparently, there was a reason for the non-specific apology and that's because the Buccaneers quarterback doesn't believe that he did anything wrong. Although the NFL's investigation concluded that "Winston violated the Personal Conduct Policy by touching the driver in an inappropriate and sexual manner without her consent," it seems that Winston doesn't feel the same way about those findings.
According to NFL.com's Tom Pelissero, Winston refused to apologize for anything specific -- such as inappropriately touching the Uber driver -- because he doesn't believe the touching actually happened as it was alleged.
So why would Winston waive his appeal rights to a suspension if he truly believes nothing happened?
According to NFL.com, Winston couldn't be sure that nothing happened because he had been heavily drinking on the night of the alleged incident and therefore, couldn't "clearly remember the events." Since Winston wouldn't admit guilt, the NFL negotiated a settlement with the Buccaneers quarterback that involved a three-game suspension, and Winston had to promise not to appeal it. Under the settlement, Winston wouldn't have to admit guilt, but he would have to admit that he was drinking, which is something he has apparently given up. In his statement on Thursday, Winston said that he no longer drinks alcohol.
Winston could have been suspended for up to six games, which is the baseline penalty for a first-time offender under the NFL's sexual assault policy, but that was negotiated down to three games, although it's not clear why since the league investigation found that he touched the Uber driver inappropriately.
The NFL has also said that it likely won't release the letter that was sent to Winston to announce the suspension. The letter is a big deal because it generally offers a detailed outlook at how the league came to its final decision. In the Ezekiel Elliot case, the league sent a six-page letter to the Cowboys running back that outlined multiple reasons for his suspension.
It almost seems like everyone got off easy in this case. By not releasing the letter, the NFL is basically protecting Winston, because he won't have to answer questions about any sordid details the league might have found in its investigation. The league also caught a break with Winston accepting the three-game suspension. The fact that Winston has promised not to appeal means that the NFL won't have to deal with a lengthy legal battle against one of its star players for the fourth straight offseason (Tom Brady in 2015 and 2016, Elliott in 2017).
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