TAMPA, Fla. -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie wide receiver Sergio Bailey suffered a serious ankle injury in warm-ups prior to Friday night's preseason game after a heavy downpour created sloppy conditions.
Bailey was warming up after a 59-minute weather delay against the Detroit Lions at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa when he planted his foot wrong on the field, which had become quite soggy.
"When we were in the team segment [of warm-ups] -- four plays -- and it's just, the tempo of that is probably 60 percent tempo," Bucs head coach Dirk Koetter said. "On the second or third play -- first play, maybe, of team -- Serge planted and he got back on his heels.
"It [was] a wet field [and] he looked to me like he slipped. I just thought he got his weight back and slipped; but the way he went down, he was immediately pointing at his foot. I thought maybe he was cramping. I guess when he planted, he either dislocated or broke his ankle."
Koetter said Bailey underwent surgery Saturday afternoon and was placed on injured reserve.
Bailey posted on Instagram on Sunday.
An undrafted free agent out of Eastern Michigan, Bailey had a promising training camp and a strong chance of making the 53-man roster. In two preseason games, he caught five passes for 73 yards and a touchdown.
In any instance of inclement weather that results in a delay of game, the decision as to when play can resume ultimately lies with the league and on-site game officials.
