Bucs HOFer says Antoine Winfield Jr. 'reminds me of me'
Is Antoine Winfield Jr. on the road to Canton?
Former Buccaneers defensive back Ronde Barber, a Class of 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, alluded to this possibility while breaking down Winfield's stellar performance in Tampa Bay's 20-17 upset over the Vikings in Week 1.
"He's a wrecking ball of a football player," Barber said on the Bucs' "Film Session" YouTube series. "He reminds me of me, except for bigger and maybe a little bit more talented."
In front of a "special" Minnesota crowd, Winfield recorded eight tackles, two quarterback hits, a sack, a pass deflection and a forced fumble and recovery. The free safety also helped shut down Offensive Player of the Year wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who had seven catches for 138 yards in the first half, to two receptions for 12 yards in the second half.
Winfield's sack on Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins marked the 10th of his four-season career and a new franchise record for a Tampa Bay safety.
"He does a lot of film study on who's blocking him and how they're trying to block him," Bucs head coach Todd Bowles said in a press conference. "He has a knack for getting free every time."
Winfield is off to a great start, but the 25-year-old will have to play even better if he wants to reach Canton — starting with aiming for Barber's numbers.
Despite being the only player in NFL history with 45+ interceptions and 25+ sacks, Barber was denied five consecutive HOF finalist nominations until 2023. In 16 seasons with Tampa Bay, the five-time All-Pro amassed a franchise-record 47 interceptions and 14 defensive touchdowns. He ranks tenth all-time in solo tackles with 1,044, the highest of any DB.
It's also noteworthy that Barber didn't miss a game for 15 consecutive seasons, an extremely rare feat in a dangerous sport. So not only will Winfield have to continue the highest level of play, but he'll have to stay healthy for at least another decade.
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