Jameis Winston may be a free man, but college football is still on trial

It is impossible to look at this case in isolation

Winston
(Image credit: (Jeff Gammons/Getty Images))

Today, Florida State Attorney Willie Meggs announced that he will not file charges against Jameis Winston, the Florida State University star quarterback accused of rape, due to lack of evidence. While Winston may be free to play in the ACC Championship game on Saturday, the ugly history of football's handling of rape and sexual assault means this case will never be satisfactorily closed.

Winston may well be innocent. Still, the case fits a pattern that has become all too common. It is a microcosm of college football's long history of covering up for players and obfuscating justice, especially when it comes to sexual assault.

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Emily Shire is chief researcher for The Week magazine. She has written about pop culture, religion, and women and gender issues at publications including Slate, The Forward, and Jewcy.