Dr. David Chao, who is known as @ProFootballDoc on Twitter, tweeted during Tampa Bay’s 20-19 loss at Chicago on Thursday Night Football that Bucs nose tackle Vita Vea suffered a right fractured ankle late in the fourth quarter. The play happened when Vea was tackling Bears running back David Montgomery and Bucs inside linebacker Devin White fell on top of Vea’s ankle, causing the injury.

By video, #VitaVea with right ankle fracture and carted off. #TBvsCHI pic.twitter.com/5OrzbSD381

— David J. Chao – ProFootballDoc (@ProFootballDoc) October 9, 2020

Dr. Chao indicated that the injury is likely season-ending for Vea.

Unfortunately season ending.
However, if @Buccaneers made it to a COVID delayed Super Bowl…..

All injury details and health analysis at https://t.co/dFDT8os6QG first. Sign up for free. Thanks.

— David J. Chao – ProFootballDoc (@ProFootballDoc) October 9, 2020

Rakeem Nunez-Roches will step in as the team’s starter at nose tackle in place of Vea. Bucs rookie defensive tackle Khalil Davis will likely see his first action of the year in Tampa Bay’s next game against Green Bay. Davis, the team’s sixth-round pick, has been inactive through the first five games.

“It’s a big loss,” said Bucs head coach Bruce Arians after the loss at Chicago. “You don’t have another Vita, that’s for sure, but other guys will step in and step up and play good.”

Dr. Chao is a former NFL head doctor with the San Diego Chargers for 17 years, and an orthopedic surgeon and sports medical analyst for Sirius XM, Fox Sports Radio and Outkick.com. Dr. Chao is not affiliated with the Bucs organization, but does watch all NFL games and uses his expertise to comment on injuries on Twitter as they happen.

For more NFL injury analysis, follow Dr. David Chao on Twitter at: @ProFootballDoc