The San Francisco 49ers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 12 this season, traveling to Florida for one of their three 10 a.m. PT games. On Thursday, word dropped that Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston is now facing a three-game suspension to open the year.
Given the timing, the 49ers would likely still face Winston. Ian Rapoport reported that Winston is expected to be required to “meet a certain criteria related to his conduct to return to the field.” I doubt he remains suspended through Week 12, but that is something to keep in mind. Zombie quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is expected to start during Winston’s absence.
Although this is a matter of league discipline, this should have no bearing on Reuben Foster’s own potential suspension. Any example of NFL discipline can potentially inform where the league might go in other situations, but the only consistent thing about the league is its inconsistency. Foster’s accuser vehemently recanted her claims under oath, which would seemingly leave discipline surrounding the no contest plea to a misdemeanor gun charge and his January marijuana arrest in Alabama. For the latter case, Foster went through a first-time offender program to clear that up.
I honestly have no idea how long Foster will be suspended. He would potentially face one game for the marijuana charge, although we don’t know how far into the drug program he was at the time of the arrest. He has passed every Alabama ordered drug test since the arrest, which could benefit him. The two cases combined could result in a couple games, but anybody who says they can confidently say he will be suspended X games is probably BS’ing you.