The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been struggling with an MRSA infection in their club house. They lost kicked Lawrence Tynes to the infection before the season and guard Carl Nicks has been struggling with the injury since then. Cornerback Johnthan Banks was diagnosed with the infection last week, becoming the third player on the team to be infected.
Despite being infected Banks will play today, Nicks on the other hand won’t play today.
Buccaneers G Carl Nicks, battling MRSA, is not expected to play today; Bucs CB Johnthan Banks, also battling infection, is expected to play.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 13, 2013
While #Bucs CB Johnthan Banks is expected to play after contracting MRSA, guard Carl Nicks is slated to be inactive. He had reoccurrence
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 13, 2013
According to ESPN, Banks “s not a risk to transmit the severe staph infection to other players and has been cleared to play Sunday, the league announced Saturday night.”
The NFL said in a statement that it worked with the player’s association and a “jointly retained specialist has met with the team, supervised the inspection of the facilities, conducted medical examinations and agrees with the team medical staff that Mr. Banks does not pose a risk of transmission to other players.”
Ultimately, the specialist determined that the strain came from outside the facility, not within.
Talked about #Bucs MRSA situation on #NFLGameDay: Jointly hired specialist Dr. Deverick Anderson believes strain came from outside facility
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 13, 2013
The specialist also met with the Bucs’ opponents on Sunday, the Philadelphia Eagles.