Report: Relationship between Jameis Winston, Dirk Koetter ‘not in a good place’

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter is one of several names to watch on the hot seat heading into the offseason, and it’s fair to wonder if Jameis Winston would be happy to see him go.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the relationship between Winston and Koetter is currently not a very strong one. The two are apparently having both on- and off-field issues.

“I’m told the relationship between Jameis Winston and Koetter is not in a good place,” Rapoport said. “There is definitely some tension there. The reason why is actually two-fold. One, Winston didn’t feel fully supported as it relates to his injury. People didn’t know what he was playing through and how that contributed to his performance. Then, there are questions about just how predictable the offense is.”

Winston has been dealing with a painful shoulder injury for a good portion of the season, and that could have a lot to do with why he has not played well. If Rapoport’s report is accurate, he may feel that Koetter should have spent more time relaying that to the media as his quarterback was being criticized.

You can’t blame Koetter for being frustrated with Winston’s lack of progression over the past two years, whether injuries have played a role or not. If you remember, the coach aired some of that frustration publicly last year. That may not have sat well with Winston, either.

The Bucs are 4-8 this season after finishing 9-7 a year ago, so they have taken a step back. Would a healthy Winston have made a big difference? We’ll never know, and Koetter may not be around in 2018 to find out.