National Football League

Bucs' Antoine Winfield piles up snubs, sacks, picks and motivation

Updated Jan. 10, 2024 1:25 p.m. ET

As Antoine Winfield took the podium Wednesday to talk about the Buccaneers making the playoffs for the fourth time in his four NFL seasons, he had a shiny gold wrestling-style championship belt slung over his right shoulder.

He smiled as he displayed it over his head — the fine print crowned him as the "undisputed best DB in the league," as awarded by former NFL safety Jason McCourty on NFL Network's "Good Morning Football" show.

For much of the past week, that accolade has, in fact, been disputed. Despite a statistically historic season in leading the Bucs defense to a third straight division title, Winfield was left off the Pro Bowl team, an omission widely recognized as a glaring snub for one of the league's best at his position.

"It's unfortunate, but it is what it is," the 25-year-old said. "I can't control that. The only thing I can control is what I do on the field."

What he does on the field is pile up a collection of key statistics unseen by a defensive player. He tied for the league lead — at any position — with six forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries, the second time since 2000 that one player had a share of the league in both. His six sacks are twice as many as any defensive back in the NFL, and he also had three interceptions and 122 total tackles.

And yet he wasn't among six safeties to earn Pro Bowl honors last week, nor was he among the two safeties on the NFLPA All-Pro team revealed Wednesday. The Associated Press All-Pro team, due out Friday, selects a first and second team, but there's no telling if he'll be honored there.

"He can get us to the playoffs, just like he did," Bucs coach Todd Bowles said of the disrespect Sunday. "Winning playoff games and Super Bowls, that's what helps your Pro Bowl snubs."

On Sunday, Winfield came up with the two biggest plays in the Bucs' first shutout in 13 years. Carolina didn't have many shots at scoring, but the two times they came closest, Winfield played a huge role in why they didn't. A pass play to receiver D.J. Chark went for 41 yards, but as he was leaping into the end zone, Winfield knocked the ball out, his sixth forced fumble, which was recovered in the end zone by teammate Jamel Dean. The play was close enough that it was initially ruled a touchdown and reversed on replay.

And when the Panthers, down 6-0 late in the third quarter, got to the Bucs' 25, Winfield came through with a sack of rookie Bryce Young that backed Carolina up 9 yards. From the longer distance, Panthers kicker Matthew Wright missed a 52-yard kick, and the Bucs went on to close out the win and a division title.

"Once again, Antoine Winfield Jr. showed up when we needed him," quarterback Baker Mayfield said. "He's a stud. We're lucky to have him."

Winfield has done it all season. The Bucs' first points of the campaign came on a field goal after he got a sack against the Vikings, forcing and recovering the fumble. He's gotten a last-minute interception to seal the first win against Carolina, a pick and a sack resulting in a safety in a win against Atlanta, a forced fumble just before halftime at the 6-yard line to set up a Bucs touchdown in a win against New Orleans.

This has all come in a contract year for Winfield, who would be one of the league's most coveted free agents at any position if allowed to hit the open market in March. It's unlikely the Bucs will let that happen — they had missed the playoffs 12 years in a row before Winfield's rookie year, when they won the Super Bowl with Tom Brady, starting the current run of four straight playoff appearances, the longest for any NFC team.

He's in line for a new contract that will make him one of the league's highest-paid safeties — likely $16 million per year if not more — and Bowles said there are many reasons why he's able to play at such a high level.

"It's kind of all of the above — he's instinctual, he has talent, he studies film profusely, he practices like that, he asks a lot of questions," Bowles said last week. "We're able to move him around to some places, but his football IQ allows him to execute a lot of the things he's doing. Certain guys have a knack for (turnovers) — it's something you can't teach. You can teach them to get the ball out and try to go for the ball, but he has a knack for it every time and he's making it happen."

His father, Antoine Sr., played 14 years in the NFL as a similarly undersized defensive back, and likely gave his son his patience as well. Antoine Sr. didn't make a Pro Bowl until he was 31 (his son did in 2021) and Sr. enjoyed just two career playoff wins, while his son already has five.

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Winfield's ability to do a little of everything on the field has drawn comparisons to another versatile Bucs defensive back, Ronde Barber, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this season. Asked if he could compare Winfield to anyone, Bowles said perhaps another Hall of Fame defensive back, Charles Woodson. But neither Woodson nor Barber ever had six forced fumbles or six sacks in a season, as Winfield did this year.

For now, the lack of acknowledgment will serve as added motivation for Winfield as he pursues something bigger: another playoff run with the Bucs. A huge contract could follow in the next two months, but his focus is on the field, not off it.

"I know what I do," Winfield said. "I know what I'm capable of. I know the work that I put in. At the end of the day, I think that's the only thing that really matters."

Greg Auman is FOX Sports' NFC South reporter, covering the Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers and Saints. He is in his 10th season covering the Bucs and the NFL full-time, having spent time at the Tampa Bay Times and The Athletic. You can follow him on Twitter at @gregauman.