Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Jordan Whitehead was placed on the non-football injury list after he was involved in a two-vehicle crash Saturday morning. Whitehead will be unable to play in Sunday’s potential division-clinching game against the New Orleans Saints, the Buccaneers said in a statement.
Whitehead, who was driving a Corvette involved in the crash, and the driver of the other vehicle were transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to the Tampa Police Department.
Officers responded around 9:30 a.m. to the site of the crash at the intersection of North Dale Mabry Highway and West Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, located near the team’s practice facility in Tampa, Fla., according to police. The Buccaneers said the incident occurred as Whitehead was traveling to the facility.
Whitehead was traveling south on the highway and attempted to turn left onto the eastbound lanes of West Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard when he crashed into a GMC pickup truck in the westbound lanes, police said.
The cause of the crash is under investigation, per the Tampa Police Department.
Buccaneers Statement on Jordan Whitehead pic.twitter.com/aBhnMnu97B
— Buccaneers Communications (@BuccaneersComms) January 4, 2025
After spending the last two seasons with the New York Jets, Whitehead is in his first year back with the team that drafted him in 2018. The seven-year veteran was placed on injured reserve in late November with a pectoral injury, making his return for the team’s Week 17 win over the Carolina Panthers. Over 12 games this year, Whitehead has allowed a 58.8 completion percentage and registered three pass breakups, according to Sports Info Solutions.
Tampa Bay is in serious need of defensive back help heading into Sunday afternoon’s must-win game against the Saints. In addition to ruling out Whitehead, the Buccaneers have already ruled out cornerback Jamel Dean with a quad injury and safety Antoine Winfield Jr. with a knee injury. Dean sustained the injury during last week’s game against the Panthers, while Winfield is still dealing with a knee sprain sustained in Week 14. Backup defensive back Christian Izien was also ruled out for the year last week after undergoing season-ending pectoral surgery.
The Buccaneers announced Saturday they signed safety Ryan Neal from the practice squad to the 53-man roster.
Tampa Bay is aiming to secure its fourth straight NFC South division title. Sitting at 9-7, a victory would give Tampa Bay a home game in the playoffs and the team could finish as high as the No. 3 seed in the NFC depending on the Los Angeles Rams’ game. If the Buccaneers lose, they would also need the Atlanta Falcons to lose to the Panthers to keep their playoff hopes alive.
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