NFL teams
Jenna Laine, ESPN Staff Writer 5y

Source: JPP opts against neck surgery for now

NFL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

TAMPA, Fla. -- After consulting with multiple doctors, Buccaneers star pass-rusher Jason Pierre-Paul has opted not to undergo surgery on his fractured neck at this time, but he and his doctors will revisit the injury in four months to see how it is healing, a source confirmed to ESPN.

Pierre-Paul was involved in a single-car crash in Broward County last week. Doctors do not believe his injury is career-threatening, the source said.

The surgery decision was first reported by the NFL Network.

Earlier Friday, Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians said the best-case scenario for Pierre-Paul would be that he is out five to six months.

"I think [the evaluation] is still ongoing, and like [general manager] Jason [Licht] said, we've got our fingers crossed and praying for him," Arians said, speaking for the first time since the crash.

Sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter earlier this week that Pierre-Paul suffered a fractured neck, which could force him to miss the season.

Last season, Pierre-Paul led the team with 12.5 sacks, becoming the first Buccaneers player to reach double-digit sacks since 2005.

"[It's] very unfortunate," Arians said. "All we can do is just pray and hope for the best and hope it's one of those five- or six-month things and go from there."

On May 2 at 2:35 a.m. ET, Pierre-Paul and a passenger, James Harold Thompson, were traveling southbound on Interstate 95 when Pierre-Paul lost control of his Ferrari and veered off the roadway to the left, colliding with a concrete barrier.

Pierre-Paul, 30, was not given a citation. The Florida Highway Patrol told ESPN that officers did not deem that he was distracted, nor did they suspect impairment, which is why a field sobriety test wasn't conducted.

The official crash report states that slippery road conditions and rain contributed to the crash. Both men were transported to Broward Health Medical Center with injuries deemed "non-incapacitating," according to the official crash report.

Arians said he talked to Pierre-Paul after the accident.

"[I told him] he has my prayers and just stay positive," Arians said.

Asked how the team will replace Pierre-Paul, Arians said, "I don't know what the answer is yet, if he's gonna play, if he's not gonna play. [You] just practice with the guys you have, just like if anybody else gets hurt, on the field or off the field. You march on."

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