Eagles’ Ronald Darby Says Accusations Against Jameis Winston ‘Just Not True’

Eagles cornerback Ronald Darby has come forward to say Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston, is innocent of the charges made by an Uber driver who says Winston sexually assaulted her during a ride last year, according to Pro Football Talk.

Winston was accused of grabbing a female Uber driver’s crotch during a ride in Scottsdale, Arizona, in March of 2016. But, Darby now claims he was also a passenger during that ride and says the Uber driver is wrong about some key facts about the incident.

The driver, going only by the name “Kate,” says that Winston was the only passenger that night, that he sat in the front seat next to her, and that he began groping her during the ride.

Darby disputes all of those assertions in a statement to Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer:

I felt the need to come forward and clarify some inaccurate accounts of the evening of March 13, 2016, when myself, a friend and Jameis Winston took an Uber ride in Arizona. There were three of us in the car, not just one as has been reported. Myself and Jameis were in the backseat. I am confident that nothing inappropriate in nature happened in the car that evening and Jameis did not have any physical contact with the Uber driver. The accusations are just not true.

The Philadelphia Eagles player added:

“I believe the driver was confused as to the number of passengers in the car and who was sitting next to her,” Winston’s Friday statement declared. “The accusation is false, and given the nature of the allegation and increased awareness and consideration of these types of matters, I am addressing this false report immediately. At the time of the alleged incident, I denied the allegations to Uber, yet they still decided to suspend my account.”

This latest charge is far from the first time Winston has been accused of inappropriate behavior with a woman. In 2012, Winston was accused of raping a woman who was a student at Florida State. Winston settled a civil lawsuit with that woman just under a year ago.

The NFL has confirmed that it is investigating the Uber driver’s charges.

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.