Antoine Winfield A Tackling Machine
August 31st, 2023
Antoine Winfield knows how to wrap up.
It’s hard to get over on a smart guy like Bucs Pro Bowl safety Antoine Winfield. But back in training camp, Joe found something.
Digging up stats from Sports Information Solutions (SIS), Joe found Winfield missed one tackle in 2022.
That’s not a typo. He missed one tackle. Ein. Uno. For the whole season.
And this nearly floored Winfield when Joe told him.
“Really? Wow!”
Joe told Winfield he was one play away from pitching a shutout, which reports say Lavonte David did in 2019.
“I didn’t even realize that,” Winfield confessed.
Even though the NFL is a passing league and Winfield has a coach that stresses takeaways so he always has picks on his mind, Winfield did say tackling is a specific focus for him.
“Yeah, as a safety, that’s what you have to do,” Winfield said. “We get paid to make tackles. So I attribute [one missed tackle in 2022] to my practice habits.
“While it may not be live out here [tackling to the ground], there are always angles you can take so you are finishing on different runners and things like that.”
Joe had a back-and-forth with a Bucs fan recently on Twitter where the fan scoffed at Joe using “hyperbole” in suggesting the Bucs’ 2020 draft could be “historic.”
For background, NFL Network once listed the Bucs’ 1995 draft class as top-10 in NFL history. USA Today suggested that class was No. 9 in NFL history. Why? Two Hall of Famers with the first two picks.
Well, before Tristan Wirfs was moved to left tackle, Joe thought he was on a Hall of Fame path. He may get to that at left tackle.
But Joe also thought Winfield, who was the Bucs’ second pick in 2020, could someday raise his game to that level. He’s going back to safety where he was one of the best in the NFL, which is why he made the Pro Bowl in 2021. He played well enough his rookie year, 2020, to be named to the Pro Bowl, but instead he had to settle for a Super Bowl ring.
So yeah, Joe thinks Winfield is that good. The fact he only whiffed on one tackle last season is proof.
August 31st, 2023 at 8:16 am
Smart, solid player but he gets injured too much. If there’s another concussion or two and he could be done. Hopefully moving him back off the line will help.
August 31st, 2023 at 8:26 am
Love Winfield but unfortunately he’s starting to become known as “An Oft Injured Machine”.
August 31st, 2023 at 8:42 am
Same fella’s. Love AW Jr. He’s a great dude and a great player but the injury issue is a concern. And the concern will skyrocket if he misses week 1.
August 31st, 2023 at 8:46 am
Some of his teammates should take note of this, specially CB´S.
Main deficit of Defense is tackling….
August 31st, 2023 at 8:48 am
While we’re on the subject, Where in the F has Kancey been? He’s been out for weeks and weeks. He blew any opportunity to shine this season. A rookie who’s missed most of training camp and all of the preseason. He’ll be useless this year.
Must be a hell of a boo boo he’s got.
August 31st, 2023 at 9:15 am
FYI, Joe… great right tackles rarely make the Hall of Fame… great left tackles ALWAYS make the Hall of Fame. I just looked at the list of Hall of Fame linemen… none of the tackles that I watched play from the 80’s to present were right tackles… all were left tackles. Surprisingly, there were far more guards in the Hall of Fame than I thought there would be.
August 31st, 2023 at 9:16 am
Hopefully he will be cut down on the concussions this year at his new position.
August 31st, 2023 at 9:17 am
Apparently, Jackie Slater was a right tackle. I stand corrected…. but that’s it. One right tackle that’s played since the 80’s in the HOF. If Wirfs was getting into the Hall of Fame, switching the left side was the way to do it.
August 31st, 2023 at 9:19 am
Don’t disagree with you but he’s hurt. Calf injuries are no joke. Reportedly, he had the same injury as Joe Burrow and Burrow just got back to practice yesterday.
Gonna guess Kancey puts more pressure on his calf as a defensive tackle than Burrow does at quarterback. So it’s understandable he’s not (yet) back on the field.
If memory serves, Vita Vea had a calf injury early in his rookie year training camp and he missed a couple of games to start the season.
Patience grasshopper.
August 31st, 2023 at 10:27 am
Love that picture.
August 31st, 2023 at 10:44 am
Just hope the kid can stay healthy. If so, he’ll be a perennial all-pro and future HOFer. But he’s gotta stay healthy.
August 31st, 2023 at 11:34 am
Yea yea they’ll be time to blow smoke up his butt when he gets that fat contract next year but today what I care about is will he be available week 1. Already know he’s a baller
August 31st, 2023 at 2:53 pm
Geez! One missed tackle all year is beyond great.its straight up amazing. We will need that tackling against the Vikings.
August 31st, 2023 at 3:57 pm
It’s remarkable how much Winfield is like Ronde, the best tackler at corner in his era. But that’s an amazing stat for a safety.
August 31st, 2023 at 4:20 pm
It’s so easy to relive that moment when I see that pic.
August 31st, 2023 at 8:10 pm
The Bucs need all their top players to stay healthy in a rebuild year. If the top vets stay healthy and if the speedy new guys pan out it should be fun to watch.
August 31st, 2023 at 11:50 pm
Agree about Winfield being a great tackler Joe. I just hope that he can teach the rest of the back end to tackle. That includes the Diva. Bowles doesn’t seem to be able to. Also hope he can stay healthy ebough to stay on that HOF trajectory.
Go Bucs!