Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Dirk Koetter has come out with a weird opinion on playing Jameis Winston even if it means the quarterback is at risk for further injury.
The context here is important, so dissect it all before losing your marbles.
First, it is worth noting that Dirk Koetter was already told Jameis Winston can't actually hurt his shoulder more than what has already been done. Second, this quote comes AFTER he was asked if backup linemen playing meant keeping Winston out of the lineup.
“It’s a league where if you are healthy, you will play. It’s all around the league,” Koetter said, via ESPN.com. “The risk factor — that’s there every week at every position. When your medical staff clears any player for any injury to play, they are not going to clear him [if he isn’t healthy]. The player’s health is always the No. 1 thing for every football team. If a player is at no more risk than what the normal risk is — and in the NFL, that’s substantial — then they are going to play. That is what they’re paid to do.”
Out of context, if you're just reading the quote itself — or, more accurately, just a part of the quote — it can read like a man who does not care about one of his player's health. That's clearly not the case here.
Players are always at risk for injury. Winston isn't at risk for “more” damage to his shoulder. If a medical staff green lights him, and he's capable, he shouldn't sit just because his teammates aren't that good.
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