Jameis Winston is once again taking over his starting role as the face of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
After the Bucs all but eliminated the former No. 1 overall pick from all of their promotional and marketing materials in the wake of his three-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy, Winston made his off-field return for the team in a video released this week:
Yep, that's Jameis Winston promoting himself and the team -- all by himself.
Winston will be making his first start for the Buccaneers since his suspension on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. He briefly lost his starting gig during the latest incarnation of Fitzmagic, but with Ryan Fitzpatrick returning to the backup QB role, Winston is ready to take back the spotlight that comes with being the No. 1 QB.
The Bucs removed Winston from their marketing materials after an NFL investigation concluded that he inappropriately touched an Uber driver in a sexual manner without her consent during an incident in Scottsdale, Arizona, in March 2016. After the NFL announced its findings in conjunction with Winston's suspension, the team didn't include the quarterback in murals put up at Raymond James Stadium before the start of the season and also didn't include him in team promotional videos published in July.
However, as ESPN noted, the team left open the possibility in July that Winston could be included in future promotional campaigns.
Whether Winston will remain a vital part of the Buccaneers' organization for years to come remains to be seen. He's entering a critical season with the team and will be tasked with helping turn around a team that has lost its last two games.
