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It is safe to say that former Florida State Seminoles quarterback and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers signal caller Jameis Winston has had enough of Erica Kinsman,the woman who accused him of sexual assault in December 2012. For that reason, it should come as no surprise that he has noted her civil lawsuit against him by filing a counterclaim against her.
Although the details surrounding the sexual allegation are hazy due to the Tallahassee Police Department failing to do their due diligence, with many even believing he got away with rape, the fact is Winston was cleared of wrongdoing. Therefore, the lack of sufficient evidence means the only thing there is to do is accept the sexual intercourse between the two was consensual, even if Kinsman states otherwise.
Winston is seeking damages in excess of $75,000, with the counterclaim stating that Kinsman “tarnished Mr. Winston’s reputation and public image, and caused him to incur actual damages” such as loss of “lucrative endorsement deals that Mr. Winston otherwise would have received,” according to the Orlando Sentinel. The counterclaim also states he wants a trial by jury.
Essentially, Winston has quickly figured out the endorsement deals that typically come with the advantage of being the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft are non-existent for him. His horrific public image, with the sexual assault allegations only being a part of it, has made it so very few companies are going to pay him millions of dollars to endorse their product. Simply put, having him be the face of the product could actually lead to a decline in sales.
As of right now, the only confirmed endorsement deal for Winston is with Nike.
Michael Terrill is a Senior Writer for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @MichaelTerrill, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
