Jordan Whitehead will no longer be available for Week 18.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced the safety was involved in an auto accident on the way to practice Saturday morning, and due to the injuries sustained, will not play against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
Whitehead was placed on the reserve, non-football injury list as well. In a corresponding move, Tampa Bay signed Ryan Neal from the practice squad onto the 53-man roster.
The 27-year-old appeared in 12 games for the Buccaneers this season, racking up 79 total tackles, which ranks second on the team, and three pass deflections.
Whitehead was originally drafted by Tampa Bay in the fourth round of the 2018 draft and spent his first four seasons with the team, including its 2020-21 Super Bowl run, before a two-year stint with the New York Jets. He then re-joined the Buccaneers last off-season through free agency.
Tampa Bay will clinch a playoff berth and a division title on Sunday with a win or tie against NFC South rival New Orleans, or an Atlanta Falcons loss to the Carolina Panthers.
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