Report: NFL Investigating Jameis Winston Case; Spoke with Bucs' Head of Security

The NFL has opened its investigation into allegations that Jameis Winston groped a female Uber driver in March 2016, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, and the league spoke to Tampa Bay Buccaneers head of security Andres Trescastro last week.

Per Schefter, "The investigation is not expected to [be] wrapped up by the end of this season, according to a source, meaning that Winston's case could hang over the upcoming NFL offseason similar to how Ezekiel Elliott's case hung over the NFL last offseason."

The Uber driver said that Winston grabbed her crotch for several seconds while they were in a drive-through of a Mexican restaurant and that Winston was the only passenger in the car. She reported the incident to Uber, and the company banned Winston from using its service.

Winston has maintained he did not commit the alleged act and that he wasn't alone in the car, saying the driver "was confused as to the number of passengers in the car and who was sitting next to her."

Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Ronald Darby—Winston's former teammate at Florida State—said that he was in the vehicle with Winston at the time and that Winston did not perform the alleged act.

The Uber driver's attorney, John Clune, has requested the NFL investigate Darby's comments and the cornerback "immediately turn his phone over to the NFL so the GPS history can be forensically examined."

Per Schefter, Clune "also represented the Florida State student who accused Winston of sexual assault in 2012."

Winston, 23, will miss his third straight game Sunday as he recovers from a shoulder injury but could return to action shortly, as Ian Rapoport reported on NFL GameDay Morning (h/t Kevin Patra of NFL.com):

"I'm told a couple weeks ago he had PRP injections—platelet-rich plasma treatment—in other words, blood spinning. [It is] something that is used often, especially by high-profile athletes, during rehab to quicken the recovery.

"It takes about two weeks to take hold for Winston. He does have an MRI on Monday, and the team is holding out hope before saying anything. They want to find out the actual terms and what happens during the MRI, but I am told he feels great, looks great, and his return is coming."