Antoine Winfield Jr.

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Antoine Winfield Jr.
Antoine Winfield Jr WFT-Buccaneers NOV2021 (cropped).jpg
Winfield Jr. with the Buccaneers in 2021
No. 31 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Position: Safety
Personal information
Born: (1998-08-16) August 16, 1998 (age 26)
Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
Height:5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight:203 lb (92 kg)
Career information
High school: The Woodlands
(The Woodlands, Texas)
College: Minnesota (2016–2019)
NFL draft: 2020  / round: 2 / pick: 45
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of Week 6, 2024
Total tackles:395
Sacks:15.0
Forced fumbles:11
Fumble recoveries:9
Pass deflections:28
Interceptions:7
Defensive touchdowns:1
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Antoine Duane Winfield Jr. (born August 16, 1998) is an American professional football safety for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Minnesota Golden Golphers, earning unanimous All-American honors. Winfield was selected by the Buccaneers in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft.

Contents

Early life

Winfield Jr. attended Eden Prairie High School in Eden Prairie, Minnesota for his freshman year before he and his family moved to The Woodlands, Texas and attended The Woodlands High School, where he was a three-year letterer and two-year starting safety, in addition to being the team's kick returner, playing alongside future NFL players Ethan Bonner and Patrick Carr. As a senior, he totaled 87 tackles, five forced fumbles, and one interception, and was named the Montgomery County Player of the Year. [1] Winfield was considered a two-star recruit by Rivals.com, and accepted a scholarship from Minnesota over offers from Baylor, Eastern Michigan, Houston, Lamar, Missouri, South Florida, Texas State, and Wyoming, among others. [2] [3]

College career

As a true freshman at Minnesota in 2016, Winfield Jr. played in 12 games and made nine starts. During the season, he had 52 tackles, one interception and one fumble recovered for a touchdown. [4] He played in the first four games in 2017 before suffering an injury that caused him to miss the rest of the season. [5] He finished the season with 20 tackles and a sack. Winfield Jr. again played in only four games in 2018, recording 17 tackles and an interception. [6] He returned from the injuries in 2019 and was named a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy. [7] [8] In the 2019 season, his seven interceptions led the Big Ten Conference. [9] After being named a first-team All American and Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year during the 2019 season, Winfield announced that he would forgo his final two years of eligibility and declared for the 2020 NFL draft. [10] [11]

College statistics

SeasonTeamGPTacklesInterceptionsFumbles
CmbSoloAstTfLSckPDIntYdsTDFFFR
2016 Minnesota 105237152.50.03182102
2017 Minnesota 4201731.01.0200000
2018 Minnesota 4171070.00.0010001
2019 Minnesota 128358253.53.01798120
Career 30172122507.04.069180223

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split20-yard split Vertical jump Broad jump Wonderlic
5 ft 9+1⁄8 in
(1.76 m)		203 lb
(92 kg)		30+1⁄8 in
(0.77 m)		9+1⁄2 in
(0.24 m)		4.45 s1.52 s2.62 s36.0 in
(0.91 m)		10 ft 4 in
(3.15 m)		20
All values from NFL Combine [12] [13]

2020 season

Winfield was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the 45th overall pick in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. [14] On July 29, 2020, Winfield signed his four-year rookie contract, worth $7.3 million, including a $2.87 million signing bonus. [15]

He made his regular season debut in Week 1 during a 34–23 loss to the New Orleans Saints, recording six tackles and a pass deflection. [16] In Week 2, during a 31–17 win against the Carolina Panthers, Winfield recorded 11 total tackles and his first career sack, which resulted in a fumble. [17] Winfield was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month for his performance in September (23 total tackles, two pass deflections, two sacks, and a forced fumble from Weeks 1–3). [18] In Week 7, during a 45–20 win against the Las Vegas Raiders, Winfield recorded two tackles, a pass deflection, and his first career interception. [19] In Week 14 against the Minnesota Vikings, Winfield led the team with 12 tackles and sacked Kirk Cousins once during a 26–14 win. [20] In Week 17 against the Atlanta Falcons, Winfield recorded seven total tackles, one pass deflection, and recovered a fumble in a 44–27 win. [21] He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team. [22]

Winfield finished the 2020 regular season with 94 total tackles, three sacks, six pass deflections, one interception, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. [23]

In the Wild Card Round of the 2020–21 NFL playoffs against the Washington Football Team, Winfield recorded six total tackles in a 31–23 win. [24] In the Divisional Round against the New Orleans Saints, Winfield recorded six total tackles as well as forced a fumble on tight end Jared Cook that was recovered by teammate Devin White during the 30–20 win. [25] Winfield injured his ankle during practice in the week leading up to the National Football Conference (NFC) Championship against the Green Bay Packers and was forced to miss the game; however, the Buccaneers defeated the Packers 31–26 to advance. Winfield was fit enough to start Super Bowl LV, where he recorded six tackles and intercepted a pass thrown by Patrick Mahomes in the 31–9 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. [26] Winfield covered Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill on two targets, recording a pass breakup and an interception on both targets, allowing a 0.0 passer rating. Winfield also garnered attention when near the end of the game he taunted Hill using Hill's signature peace sign celebration after a fourth down incompletion, drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Winfield's taunt was reportedly in retaliation for the Week 12 regular season game where the Chiefs defeated the Buccaneers 27–24 in Tampa Bay, where Hill flashed the peace sign after beating Winfield for a touchdown and also for Hill's backflip celebration after scoring another touchdown. [27]

2021 season

Winfield Jr. (right) playing against the Washington Football Team in 2021. WFT vs. Buccaneers (51686587730).jpg
Winfield Jr. (right) playing against the Washington Football Team in 2021.

Winfield finished the 2021 regular season with 88 combined tackles (62 solo), two sacks, six deflections, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries in 13 games and starts. [28]

In the Wild Card Round of the 2021–22 NFL playoffs against the Philadelphia Eagles, Winfield recorded five total tackles and one sack as the Buccaneers won 31–15. [29] In the Divisional Round against the Los Angeles Rams, Winfield recorded nine total tackles as well as forced a fumble on Rams running back Cam Akers which Winfield himself recovered near the Buccaneers own goal line at the end of the 1st half, but gave up a key 44-yard reception to Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp late in the fourth quarter which put Rams kicker Matt Gay in range to convert a game winning 30-yard field goal, as the Rams defeated the Buccaneers 30–27 to eliminate them from the playoffs and end their season. [30]

On January 26, 2022, Winfield earned his first career Pro Bowl selection after being named as an injury replacement for Seattle Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs. [31] He was ranked 75th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2022. [32]

2022 season

In the 2022 season, Winfield recorded four sacks, 80 total tackles, one interception, three passes defended, and one forced fumble in 13 games and starts. [33]

2023 season

In Week 13, Winfield recorded eight tackles, three pass breakups, two tackles for loss, a sack, and an interception in a 21–18 win over the Panthers, earning NFC Defensive Player of the Week. [34] In Week 18, he recorded five tackles, one sack, and a touchdown-saving forced fumble in a 9-0 win over the Panthers, earning his second Player of the Week award of the season. [35]

2024 season

On March 5, 2024, the Buccaneers placed the franchise tag on Winfield. [36] On May 13, 2024, Winfield signed a four-year contract extension worth $84.1 million, with $45 million guaranteed, making him the highest paid defensive back in league history. [37]

NFL career statistics

Legend
Won the Super Bowl
Led the league
BoldCareer high

Regular season

YearTeamGamesTacklesInterceptionsFumbles
GPGSCmbSoloAstSckPDIntYdsAvgLngTDFFFRYdsTD
2020 TB 16169464303.0611616.01602100
2021 TB 13138862262.0623015.03002390
2022 TB 13138064164.0311515.01501000
2023 TB 171712276466.0123289.32806400
2024 TB 554020201.01000.0000100
Total 595938426611815.02778912.730011890

Postseason

YearTeamGamesTacklesInterceptionsFumbles
GPGSCmbSoloAstSckPDIntYdsAvgLngTDFFFRYdsTD
2020 TB 33181530.02100.0001000
2021 TB 22141131.00000.0001100
2022 TB 117430.00000.0000000
2023 TB 225410.01000.0000000
Total 884434101.03100.0002100

Personal life

Winfield's father, Antoine Sr., played in the NFL for 14 seasons with the Buffalo Bills and the Minnesota Vikings. [38] Antoine Jr., was born in Columbus, Ohio while his father attended Ohio State University. His mother, Erniece Winfield, also attended Ohio State. [39] [40]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Mashek, Jim (December 26, 2015). "FOOTBALL: The Woodlands' Antoine Winfield, Jr. is The Courier's 2015 Player of the Year". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  2. ↑ Christensen, Joe (December 13, 2015). "Antoine Winfield Jr. commits to Gophers". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Antoine Winfield, The Woodlands , Safety". 247Sports. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  4. ↑ Greder, Andy (October 6, 2016). "Gophers freshman safety Antoine Winfield Jr. was 'born for this'". Twin Cities. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  5. ↑ Greder, Andy (September 7, 2018). "Gophers' Antoine Winfield Jr. can do it all. And one game, he just might". Twin Cities. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  6. ↑ Fuller, Marcus (August 7, 2019). "Gophers' Antoine Winfield Jr. is healthy, ready to make a difference in the secondary". Star Tribune. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  7. ↑ Ryan, Megan (November 13, 2019). "Unfinished business: After nearly leaving Gophers, Antoine Winfield Jr. stuck around to reap this season's rewards". Star Tribune. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Gophers safety Antoine Winfield Jr., named a finalist for Bronko Nagurski Trophy". Star Tribune. November 20, 2019. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  9. ↑ "2019 Big Ten Conference Leaders". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Consensus All-America Teams (2010–2019)". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  11. ↑ Ryan, Megan (January 9, 2020). "Antoine Winfield Jr. declares for NFL draft, leaving Gophers early". Star Tribune. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Antoine Winfield Jr. Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  13. ↑ "2020 NFL Draft Scout Antoine Winfield Jr. College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
  14. ↑ Wilson, Aaron (April 24, 2020). "Buccaneers draft The Woodlands grad Antoine Winfield Jr". Houston Chronicle . Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  15. ↑ Burns, Ryan (July 29, 2020). "2020 salaries and contracts for every Gopher player in the NFL". GopherIllustrated.com. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints – September 13th, 2020". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  17. ↑ "Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – September 20th, 2020". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  18. ↑ Gordon, Grant (October 1, 2020). "Seahawks QB Russell Wilson, Bills QB Josh Allen among NFL Players of the Month". www.nfl.com. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  19. ↑ "Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Las Vegas Raiders – October 25th, 2020". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  20. ↑ "Minnesota Vikings at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – December 13th, 2020". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  21. ↑ "Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – January 3rd, 2021". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  22. ↑ "2020 NFL All-Rookie Team". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  23. ↑ "Antoine Winfield 2020 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  24. ↑ "Wild Card – Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Washington Football Team – January 9th, 2021". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  25. ↑ "Divisional Round – Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints – January 17th, 2021". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  26. ↑ Patra, Kevin (February 7, 2021). "What we learned from Buccaneers win over Chiefs in Super Bowl LV". NFL.com. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  27. ↑ O'Donnell, Ricky (February 7, 2021). "Antoine Winfield Jr.'s taunting penalty in Super Bowl LV was actually cool as hell". SBNation. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  28. ↑ "Antoine Winfield 2021 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  29. ↑ "Wild Card – Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – January 16th, 2022". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  30. ↑ "Divisional Round – Los Angeles Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – January 23rd, 2022". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  31. ↑ Smith, Scott (February 4, 2022). "Pro Bowl S Antoine Winfield, Jr.: First Two Seasons Were Surreal". www.buccaneers.com. Archived from the original on February 18, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  32. ↑ "2022 NFL Top 100". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  33. ↑ "Antoine Winfield Jr. 2022 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  34. ↑ Gordon, Grant (December 6, 2023). "Bengals QB Jake Browning, 49ers WR Deebo Samuel highlight Players of the Week". NFL.com.
  35. ↑ Gordon, Grant (January 10, 2024). "Texans QB C.J. Stroud, Packers QB Jordan Love highlight Players of the Week". NFL.com.
  36. ↑ Smith, Scott (March 5, 2024). "Bucs Place Franchise Tag on All-Pro Safety Antoine Winfield Jr". Buccaneers.com.
  37. ↑ "Franchise Player! Antoine Winfield Jr., Bucs Agree to Four-Year Deal". Buccaneers.com. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  38. ↑ "Antoine Winfield Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  39. ↑ Roepken, Corey (September 15, 2015). "The Woodlands' Winfield taps famous father for tips". HoustonChronicle.com. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  40. ↑ Ryan, Megan (September 11, 2019). "Just like Dad: U's Antoine Winfield Jr. picked up pick-off skills from tapes of father". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on September 13, 2019. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
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