9:03 am | May 7, 2019 | Go to Source | Author:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul suffered a potentially season-ending fractured neck in a single-car accident last week in South Florida, league sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Tuesday.
Pierre-Paul will likely need surgery, a source told Schefter. He will be visiting with neck specialists at some point this week to get their opinions, with the hope that a portion of this season can be saved.
The accident occurred early Thursday morning in Broward County. Pierre-Paul sought medical attention at a hospital and was released. He was not cited for the accident.
“We have been informed that Jason was involved in a one-car accident early this morning in South Florida in which he was not cited,” Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht said in a statement that the team released last week. “We know that he was evaluated at a local hospital and has since been released. Our immediate concern is for the safety and well-being of Jason and his passenger. We have been in contact with Jason and will be getting him further evaluated by our medical staff in the near future.”
Pierre-Paul hasn’t attended any of the voluntary workouts that the Buccaneers have held this offseason under new coach Bruce Arians.
The Bucs didn’t prioritize defensive line in the draft, partly because they were counting on Pierre-Paul, who had 12.5 sacks last season — the first time a Bucs player had reached double-digit sacks since Simeon Rice in 2005.
To make matters worse, six-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Gerald McCoy has not been present for the first month of the offseason program due to team concerns over his $13 million price tag and the fact that the Bucs currently have less than $2 million in salary cap space. There had been widespread speculation that the Bucs were attempting to trade McCoy — with the feeling that the relationship may be beyond repair — but at this point, they may need to make amends for the sake of continuity.
Prior to being traded to the Bucs before last season, the 2010 first-round pick had an up-and-down run with the New York Giants. Pierre-Paul had 16.5 sacks and helped them to a Super Bowl victory during the 2011 season. He made a pair of Pro Bowls and later returned to play at a high level after his career seemed to be in jeopardy following a 2015 Fourth of July fireworks accident that cost him his right index finger and parts of several others.
ESPN’s Jenna Laine contributed to this report
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