Bucs safety Antoine Winfield.

Lavonte David is playing in his ninth NFL season and he’s just now preparing for his first playoff game.

It’s not often a guy has hung around and excelled for as long as David without seeing the postseason.

But in a way, that’s good for the young Bucs. Tampa Bay has several guys still on their rookie contracts, from Chris Godwin and Ronald Jones to the rookies themselves, including standouts Tristan Wirfs and Antoine Winfield.

Winfield, in a Zoom conference today, whenever he was asked about the playoffs, nearly hurt his face from smiling so much.

He understands from his teammates, Super Bowl veterans, his former Pro Bowl cornerback dad and playoff newbies alike, how special this time of year is. And for Winfield, he’s being told not to take anything for granted.

Who is he getting this wisdom from? David, of course.

“It’s a blessing, especially hearing from guys like Lavonte [David] who have been on the team for nine years and this is his first playoffs,” Winfield said. “I’m definitely not taking anything for granted because it’s hard to get here. Everybody’s good in the NFL and so I’m just blessed that I have the opportunity to be in the playoffs my first year.”

So will this motivate Winfield to play balls out because, hearing from David, he may never see a playoff game again? Well, that’s what pros will do. And just watching and listening to Winfield this season, everything about him from his play to his words just screams “pro.”