Antoine Winfield Jr.: 'I’m Going To Be Better Than I Was Before'

Antoine Winfield Jr.’s 2023 stat line checks nearly every box except a defensive touchdown and a safety. Out of all of the fantastic big plays he made in his historic season, Winfield revealed what his favorite takeaway was last year.

“I would probably say the fumble in the back of the end zone versus Carolina,” Winfield said. “After watching that play, I was like, ‘That was a play! I can’t believe I made that!’ But, you know, it all comes from just working hard, just fighting, and defending every blade of grass.”

If you think that he has “arrived” now that he’s the league’s highest-paid defensive back and the second-highest paid member of the Bucs, well, you don’t know Antoine Winfield Jr. very well.

There will be no “fat cat” status for Winfield just because he received a monster pay day.

“I’m the type of person [that] I’m never satisfied,” Winfield said. “My goal every season is to [be] better than I was the previous season. Like Coach [Nick] Rapone always says, ‘To much is given, much is expected.’ I know that coming in. I’m going to be better than I was before. I’m going to train harder than I was before.

“Something that is also big for me is just learning something new every single day because there is so much to learn in this sport and so many ways that I can improve my game. I’m just excited to be given the opportunity here in Tampa. I’ve still got that fire in me, and I don’t see it going away at any time. I’m still going to be out here doing extra work and doing things like that. I’m just excited to be here.”

The 2023 season wasn’t just a big one for Winfield statistically. He was also voted as a team captain by his peers for the first time in his Tampa Bay career.

Winfield is not the most vocal player on the team, but alongside legendary linebacker Lavonte David, the Bucs likely don’t have a better leader by example. And that’s how Winfield will continue to lead.

“Just to continue to be myself and lead by example, obviously,” Winfield said. “But also bring up the guys with me to match my energy, match my work ethic and put that work in so we can ultimately get another Super Bowl.”

Winning another Super Bowl is another goal that Winfield fell short of last season, although Tampa Bay did win its third straight NFC South title and make it to the NFC Divisional round of the playoffs before losing at Detroit, 31-23. The last time the Bucs won a Super Bowl was in 2020, which was Winfield’s rookie season when he was paired with strong safety Jordan Whitehead in the secondary.

After a two-year stint in New York with the Jets, Whitehead returned to Tampa Bay in free agency this offseason. So with the duo of Winfield and Whitehead back together again, perhaps the Bucs’ chances of returning to the Super Bowl increased as well.

“I’m very excited,” Winfield said about being reunited with Whitehead. “When I came in my rookie year, I played with him for a few years, and I was really leaning on him when I first got here. For him to be back… I mean, we had great chemistry when he was here and so we’re just trying to build on that and improve that.

“We’re both a little bit older, a little bit wiser and have more experience under our belts. So I can’t wait to work with him and just go out there and ball.”

Making Antoine Winfield Jr. The Highest-Paid DB Was A No-Brainer For Jason Licht

The Bucs didn’t have to make Antoine Winfield Jr. the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history this offseason. At $21.025 million per year, Winfield eclipsed Green Bay cornerback Jaire Alexander, who is making $21 million per year.

Los Angeles Rams safety Derwin James was the league’s highest-paid safety making $19 million per year. So all the Bucs had to do was give Winfield a contract slightly richer than what James receives.

But Bucs general manager Jason Licht went the extra mile and upped the ante with Winfield because he was worth it as a player and a person.

“It means a lot,” Winfield said. “You know, my goal coming in was to be the highest-paid safety – I want to clear that up – and when my agent called me and went over the details, I was just like, ‘Wow!’ I don’t know if I shouted him out but shout out to David Mulugheta at Athletes First. [He is] a great agent. He has taken care of me and has just looked out for me and made this possible.”

Licht was happy to go the extra distance and reward the Bucs’ second-round pick from the 2020 NFL Draft who went from being a Super Bowl champion as a rookie to an All-Pro player in his contract year.

“You know, every negotiation is a little different,” Licht said. “From the point where we were at to the point where we ended – it really wasn’t a huge ask. And when you have a player like Antoine who has done everything right from the minute we drafted him – he’s been just a stellar teammate.

“You know, we’ve talked about this all offseason, the kind of guys we look for and Antoine’s silhouette could be up there [in the draft room], as well. So you feel good about doing good things for great players, great teammates and great people for this organization.”