Whitehead (calf) has agreed to a two-year, $9 million contract with the Buccaneers, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Whitehead spent his first four seasons in Tampa Bay before a two-year stint with the Jets. He didn't miss a game in New York, compiling 186 tackles in 34 appearances. Whitehead exited the 2023 season finale with a calf injury, but he's expected to be healthy once the Buccaneers resume team activities and can be tentatively penciled in as their starting strong safety for 2024.
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Jets' Jordan Whitehead: Three tackles shy of 100 in 2023
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Whitehead (calf) finished the 2023 season with 97 tackles (65 solo) and four interceptions among his nine passes defensed.
Whitehead picked off Josh Allen three times in Week 1, and while he notched only one interception the rest of the season, the starting strong safety was a key contributor in the Jets' elite secondary. He set new career highs in tackles and passes defensed while appearing in all 17 games, though Whitehead exited the season finale due to a calf injury. Once the calf is healed, Whitehead will likely generate plenty of interest as a free agent, with the Jets among his potential suitors.
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Jets' Jordan Whitehead: Leaves with injury
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Whitehead (calf) exited Sunday's game against the Patriots and is doubtful to return, Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic reports.
Whitehead's early departure will leave the Jets with little depth at safety. In his absence, Ashtyn Davis will likely take over at strong safety. Whitehead recorded no statistics prior to his exit and will finish the 2023 season with 97 tackles, nine pass breakups, four interceptions and one half-sack over 17 appearances.
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Jets' Jordan Whitehead: Approaching career high in tackles
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Whitehead had eight tackles (four solo) in Sunday's 30-0 loss to the Dolphins.
Whitehead was the leading tackler for the Jets in the lopsided loss. He needs five tackles to tie last season's career high of 89, and Whitehead has already tied his career high with nine passes defensed, including a career-best four interceptions.
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Jets' Jordan Whitehead: Gets fourth interception
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Whitehead had nine tackles (four solo) and an interception in Sunday's 16-12 loss to the Raiders.
Whitehead managed six yards on his interception return. It was his fourth interception of the season. The first three all came against Josh Allen in Week 1, and Whitehead will face Allen's Bills again in Week 11. The starting strong safety also came one tackle shy of his season high in the Week 10 loss.
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Jets' Jordan Whitehead: Leads team with nine tackles
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Whitehead had nine tackles (seven solo), including one tackle for loss, in Sunday's 30-10 loss to Dallas.
After notching three interceptions in Week 1, Whitehead was the Jets' leading tackler in Week 2. The 26-year-old safety is off to a strong start in his second season with the Jets and sixth NFL campaign overall.
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Jets' Jordan Whitehead: Will play Sunday
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Whitehead (hamstring) is active Sunday against the Dolphins, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reports.
Whitehead appeared on the team's injury report Wednesday and closed out the week with limited practices. The fifth-year safety's ability to suit up should be a boon for the team's secondary and also help them play spoiler to the Dolphins' playoff chances.
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Buccaneers' Jordan Whitehead: Strong postseason-opening effort
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Whitehead, who recorded six tackles (all solo), including two for loss, during the Buccaneers 31-15 wild-card win over the Eagles on Sunday, finished the 2021 regular season with 73 tackles (58 solo), two interceptions, eight defensed passes overall and a forced fumble over 14 games.
Whitehead did allow a career-high 62.2 percent completion rate when in primary coverage, but he once again put together what would be considered a solid IDP campaign in his fourth season. The 2018 fourth-round pick checked in as the third-leading tackler in the wild-card victory and should play a prominent role in trying to slow down the Rams' potent air attack during Sunday's divisional-round clash.
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Buccaneers' Jordan Whitehead: Ruled out for Week 14
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Whitehead (calf) has been ruled out for Sunday's contest against the Falcons, Greg Auman of The Athletic reports.
Whitehead didn't practice Wednesday or Thursday and has been officially ruled out for the second consecutive game. In his absence, Andrew Adams is expected to again draw the start alongside Antoine Winfield at safety.
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Buccaneers' Jordan Whitehead: Officially out Thursday
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Coach Bruce Arians said Whitehead (hamstring) is officially out for Thursday night, Jenna Laine of ESPN.com reports.
After clearing COVID-19 protocols late in training camp, Whitehead suffered a minor hamstring injury that is going to keep him out of Week 1. The 25-year-old hasn't practiced yet this week and will look to rehab during the 10-day break before the Bucs' Week 2 contest against the Falcons. Mike Edwards will start in his place.
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Buccaneers' Jordan Whitehead: Sits out practice Monday
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Whitehead (hamstring) was a non-participant at Monday's practice.
Whitehead continues to battle a hamstring injury, and coach Bruce Arians said over the weekend the safety is considered day-to-day. The 24-year-old likely will need to practice in some capacity Tuesday or Wednesday to have a chance of suiting up for Thursday's season opener versus the Cowboys.
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Buccaneers' Jordan Whitehead: Hamstring issue
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Whitehead (hamstring) didn't practice Sunday, Carmen Vitali of the Buccaneers' official site reports.
Coach Bruce Arians noted Sunday that the starting safety is day-to-day as Thursday's season opener against the Cowboys approaches. Whitehead recorded 74 tackles, two sacks and two picks in 16 games with the Bucs in 2020.
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Buccaneers' Jordan Whitehead: Clears COVID-19 protocols
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Whitehead was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list Friday, Scott Smith of the Buccaneers' official site reports.
Whitehead spent just one week in the COVID-19 protocols before clearing them. The starting free safety will rejoin his teammates at practice moving forward.
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Buccaneers' Jordan Whitehead: Placed on COVID list
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The Buccaneers placed Whitehead (shoulder) on the reserve/COVID-19 list Friday, NFL reporter Aaron Wilson reports.
Whitehead will have to isolate and progress through the league's COVID-19 protocols before he can attend Tampa Bay's training camp practices, which kick off July 25. The starting safety is working his way back from February shoulder surgery.
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Buccaneers' Jordan Whitehead: Cleared to face KC
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Whitehead (shoulder/knee) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's Super Bowl matchup with the Chiefs, Greg Auman of The Athletic reports.
Forced out of the NFC Championship Game in the fourth quarter, Whitehead seems to have benefitted from the week off between games. Bucs safety Antoine Winfield (ankle) and linebacker Lavonte David (hamstring) also will play.
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Buccaneers' Jordan Whitehead: Not practicing yet
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Whitehead (shoulder/knee) missed a third straight practice Friday.
The Bucs estimate that Whitehead would be doubtful if they had a game this Sunday, while fellow starting safety Antoine Winfield (ankle) would be listed as questionable. Whitehead will still have another week to recover and get back on the practice field, but he does appear in some danger of missing the Super Bowl.
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Buccaneers' Jordan Whitehead: Should be ready for Super Bowl
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Whitehead (shoulder) is expected to play in the Super Bowl against the Chiefs, ESPN.com reports.
Whitehead exited the NFC Championship Game early in the third quarter and didn't return. However, it appears the 23-year-old will be able to play through the issue, so he's on track to start at free safety Feb. 7. Through 16 regular-season games, Whitehead produced 74 tackles, two sacks, four pass breakups and two interceptions. He's added seven tackles and two forced fumbles in the postseason as well.
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Buccaneers' Jordan Whitehead: Won't return Sunday
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Whitehead (shoulder) has been ruled out for the rest of Sunday's NFC Championship Game against the Packers, Greg Auman of The Athletic reports.
Whitehead was injured making a tackle on Packers running back Jamaal Williams in the third quarter. Just a few plays beforehand, Whitehead forced a key fumble on Aaron Jones that set up the Buccaneers for their fourth touchdown of the afternoon. Since Antoine Winfield (ankle) is already inactive, the Buccaneers will turn to two backup safeties -- Andrew Adams and Mike Edwards -- for the rest of the game.
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Buccaneers' Jordan Whitehead: Season-best tackle tally in loss
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Whitehead posted eight tackles (five solo), including two for loss, in the Buccaneers' 38-3 loss to the Saints on Sunday night.
The 23-year-old set a new season high in tackles with the performance, one-upping the seven stops he'd posted against the Giants in Week 8. Whitehead is now averaging 5.0 tackles per contest and has also recorded the first two sacks of his career this season, but he is allowing a career-worst 68.8 percent of passes to be completed against him in primary coverage. The third-year pro will look to put together another productive outing in a Week 10 battle against the Panthers.
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Buccaneers' Jordan Whitehead: No injury designation for Week 6
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Whitehead (knee) was a limited practice participant Friday and doesn't carry an injury designation into Sunday's game against the Packers, Adam Caplan of Sirius XM Radio reports.
Whitehead sandwiched Thursday's missed session between a pair of limited practices, but he apparently showed enough to be kept off the final injury report. The safety should be out there on game day as the Buccaneers try to slow down an explosive Packers offense that's averaging a league-high 38.0 points per game.
