TAMPA, Fla. – Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano is staying quiet about the Lawrence Tynes situation.
Schiano was cautious Monday when asked if he has regrets about the way the team has handled the veteran kicker, who is trying to recover from MRSA, a serious staph infection. Saturday, Tynes was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list and the Bucs agreed to pay his $840,000 base salary. However, in comments to FOX Sports' Mike Garafolo over the weekend, Tynes said "this whole thing is wrong" and that "my biggest emphasis is I don't want this to happen to any current or future player. I'm going to fight this thing as long as I have to."
"I am not going to be able to publicly comment on that," Schiano said. "Just so we know moving forward. It is what it is."
When asked how he feels about what Tynes is going through, Schiano didn't offer much else.
"I'm going to refer to my first answer on that question," he said. "And I'm not being evasive. That's just what I have to do. I hope you understand."
The Bucs signed Tynes on July 17 after kicker Connor Barth tore his right Achilles tendon playing in a charity basketball game on July 12. Tynes made a brief appearance in training camp before developing an ingrown toenail and contracting MRSA.
Last Tuesday, Schiano said Tynes and guard Carl Nicks, also dealing with MRSA (blister on his left foot), were "responding well" to treatment, though the coach added that he knew more about Nicks since the offensive lineman had received treatment at the Bucs' facility. Meanwhile, Tynes had returned home to Kansas City.
Tynes' wife, Amanda, was vocal on Twitter in the past week with her criticism of the Bucs. She also posted a photo of her husband with a PICC inserted into his right arm accompanied by the message, "I hear my husband is responding 'well' to treatment. LOL! He's NOT responding at all yet. This is our #bucslife".
By placing Tynes on the NFI list rather than injured reserve, Tampa Bay could be trying to avoid the perception that the kicker contracted MRSA at One Buc Place. There is still much to be decided on this issue, but Schiano's words will be limited in the public discourse.
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