3rd Tampa Bay Bucs player contracts MRSA

Something is going on inside of the Tampa Bay Bucs locker room and it has nothing to do with team chemistry. CB Johnthan Banks is the third Bucs player to contracted MRSA. Guard Carl Nicks and kicker Lawrence Tynes still haven’t returned to the field because they are still dealing with symptoms of the antibiotic-resistant staph infection.

The Bucs don’t believe the two cases are related however:

“Over the past two months the Buccaneers organization has been working with the world-renowned DICON and other infectious disease specialists to treat and educate its players, sanitize its training facility and install new health and safety protocol.”

The NFLPA is involved and has reportedly requested that an outside specialist be brought in to investigate the situation.

We advised the NFL and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that an outside expert should be brought in to assess the situation and we are pleased with their decision to take that recommendation. We have also been in regular contact with the player representatives from Tampa Bay. We will reach out to the Philadelphia Eagles player representatives today and provide them with our best medical guidance and regular updates from the outside experts.

This underscores the need for a league-wide, comprehensive and standardized infectious disease protocol. It also calls for improved accountability measures on health and safety issues by the NFL over the clubs.