Jameis Winston shoots down sexual assault allegations

New York Jets v Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston is the subject of a sexual assault investigation, as an Uber driver claims he groped her crotch while in her car in March 2016.

Uber did look into the incident in the past and Winston’s account was suspended as a result. Right now, however, it appears that he did use his account to call for the ride, but it’s unclear if he was actually the man sitting in the front seat who sexually assaulted the driver, who goes by “Kate.”

Winston has since denied the allegations against him, in a statement he released on Twitter Friday afternoon:

A news organization has published a story about me regarding an alleged incident involving a female Uber driver from approximately two years ago. The story falsely accuses me of making inappropriate contact with this driver. I believe the driver was confused as to the number of passengers in the car and who was sitting next to her. The accusation is false, and given the nature of the allegation and increased awareness and consideration of these types of matters, I am addressing this false report immediately. At the time of the alleged incident, I denied the allegations to Uber, yet they still decided to suspend my account. 

I am supportive of the national movement to raise awareness and develop better responses to the concerns of parties who find themselves in these types of situations, but this accusation is false. While I am certain that I did not make any inappropriate contact, I don’t want to engage in a battle with the driver and I regret if my demeanor or presence made her uncomfortable in any way.

The news outlet Winston is referencing is Buzzfeed, who initially published the report. The NFL has opened an investigation to look into the issue, and it will be interesting to see what they uncover.

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