The reason why Buccaneers linebacker Devin White was inactive for last Sunday’s win over the Packers continues to be a talking point around the team.
White was listed as questionable due to the foot injury that he’s been dealing with in recent weeks, but he practiced fully last Thursday and Friday and reports on Sunday indicated that he was scratched because of a team decision rather than the injury. Head coach Todd Bowles said after the win that White said he couldn’t go and that the reason for White missing the game was “a question for him but I’m sure he’d say his foot was sore.”
That fueled more speculation that K.J. Britt getting the start played a role in White being inactive and Bowles said on Monday that the team decided he would not play on Saturday, but did not disclose the change to White’s status.
On Wednesday, White had his turn with reporters and said, via Greg Auman of Fox Sports, that he felt discomfort in his foot and is “just trying to get back to being as me as possible.” White said he didn’t like seeing people say he quit on the team and that he doesn’t know why there’s been incorrect information circulating about him.
“I can only speak from what I know and what I went through and what I personally deal with,” White said, via Pewter Report. “I know I don’t have to tell no lies. It is what it is. Somebody might want to give you something to talk about to make the Bucs be talked about. Baker [Mayfield] went crazy last week and we’re talking about Devin White. I don’t think I should’ve even been mentioned in a game where I didn’t play, didn’t contribute none besides being the biggest cheerleader that I could be in Green Bay.”
White said he has no issues with Bowles, who he called a “father figure,” and said he appreciated that the coach wants him to be as healthy as he can be ahead of a return to action. That may be imminent as Bowles said Wednesday that the expectation is that White will play against the Jaguars this weekend.