Buccaneers safety Jordan Whitehead will miss the team's Week 18 game on Sunday after being involved in a car accident on Saturday.
Tampa Bay announced that the defensive back was injured en route to the team facility and placed on reserve/non-football injured list.
“Jordan Whitehead was involved in a motor vehicle accident this morning on his way to the practice facility,” the team said in a statement. “Due to injuries sustained in the accident, he did not play in Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints and was placed on the Reserve/Non-Football Injured List (NFI).”
It is unclear what kind of injuries Whitehead sustained, but ESPN reported he is “alert” and undergo a test at the hospital.
The Tampa Bay Times reported. Whitehead is expected to make a full recovery but is likely to miss several weeks.
In his place, the team signed safety Ryan Neal from the practice squad to the active roster.
On Sunday, the Buccaneers need a win or tie against the Saints to qualify for the playoffs, or the Falcons need a loss or tie against the Panthers.
The 27-year-old Whitehead, who was drafted by Tampa Bay in 2018 and won a Super Bowl in 2021, returned to the Buccaneers this season after spending 2022 and 2023 with the Jets.
He had a career-high four interceptions in New York last year, three of them in a memorable Week 1 game against Josh Allen and the Bills.
Whitehead started 12 games this season, recording 79 tackles and three passes defended.
