The Hidden Bucs Coach
September 24th, 2020
Bucs safety Antoine Winfield, Jr. (left) and his father, former 14-year NFL CB Antoine Winfield, Sr.
Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles didn’t even try to embrace credit.
Today in his weekly presser, Bowles was asked about rookie safety Antoine Winfield, Jr. The Minnesota product is having a major impact. Sunday in his second game, Winfield had a full day of work, 11 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and a quarterback hit.
Winfield is already tied for seventh-most tackles in the NFL with 17.
So Bowles was asked about Winfield’s savvy so early in his NFL career. Bowles immediately pointed to a guy who is, at least not officially, one of the biggest and brightest of Bucco Bruce Arians’ largest NFL coaching staff
“He plays beyond his years right now,” Bowles said of Winfield, Jr. “Obviously, he had great coaching from his dad and he saw his dad playing when he was growing up and they sit and talk every week which is a great addition to that.”
The way Bowles spoke about Winfield’s father, who played for Buffalo and Minnesota totaling 14 seasons, Winfield, Jr. gets coached up from his dad even today about the finer points of playing in the secondary. And that tutelage has paid off, Bowles noted.
“He plays like a veteran,” Bowles said. “He understands the game. And he plays the game the right way and he makes his plays. He understands when his opportunity comes up and he has to make a play, and he does.”
Earlier this week, Joe asked Winfield about his dad coaching him up now that he’s in the big leagues, and Winfield said nothing has changed. His dad is always offering tips.
Joe thought the Bucs got a baller when they drafted him in the second round. But this guy sure seems to be the second coming of Ronde Barber the way he defends the run and blitzes.
Even Barber said the way Winfield, Jr. tackles is worthy of a teaching tape.
So basically, the elder is an unpaid Bucs secondary coach. And a damn good one judging by the play of his son.
September 24th, 2020 at 3:07 pm
The knock on Winfield, by the experts, was that he was too small. Don’t think so. A playing coach is about right. And he is like a heat-seeking missile when he homes in on his target.
September 24th, 2020 at 3:17 pm
Sad that the best defensive coach for the bucs, is not employed by the most ridiculously large coaching staff!!!!!!!! The best players on the bucs obviously got coached up else where!!!!!!!!!!! Same reason the so called qb whisper went out and bought the best QB that does not need coaching!!!!!!!!!!!!! And once the very soft schedule gets done, and the bucs have to face .500 and above teams, they will be exposed again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
go bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 24th, 2020 at 3:33 pm
I just can’t see how Buc Realist is an actual buccaneers fan. Who vehemently routes for their teams failure during a season just so their opinion is found to be true? Not much of a fan. Being unsure I can see, but out right routing for other teams and saving face by saying go Bucs is lame. I think from now on we should all read right past his comments. I know this is last time I’ll mention him.
September 24th, 2020 at 3:34 pm
His tackling is amazing. The way he takes on the runner is text book. If you watch that open field tackle on CMC, man that was a thing of beauty. That is EXACTLY what a Safety is for. Great pick up. And Joe you were spot on with one of your earlier articles. He is definitely an early Rookie Defensive Player of the Year favorite.
September 24th, 2020 at 3:41 pm
mitch
realist is not a bucs fan….
realist is smittys little sister….
GO BUCS!!!!
September 24th, 2020 at 3:42 pm
@mitch
If you know you are going the wrong way, do you not turn around??????? If it is a dead end street do you just stare at it and root for it to turn into something else????????? The “real” fans are rooting to take a step back to then get back on the “right” direction!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Because every steep in the wrong direction, will just lead to more time getting this ship back on course!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Because ole stale biscuit has this ship pointed straight for the rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go Broncos!!!!!!!!!!!! errrrrrrr, I mean, go bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 24th, 2020 at 3:48 pm
Totally coached up by his Dad. He has a unique physique, too. Thick powerful legs specifically and he’s very stout for his lack of height. Instant top speed and good ups.
September 24th, 2020 at 4:04 pm
I loved Antoine Winfield as a player, although he was never on my teams. Feisty little guy, speed and good tackler. That’s what I’ve seen from Junior so far, too.
September 24th, 2020 at 4:06 pm
I’ll admit I wanted Cam Akers instead of this guy but boy was I wrong. Dude is a stud for sure. I’m pretty sure we’ll be extending him as soon the opportunity presents itself.
September 24th, 2020 at 4:10 pm
He looks better than Ronde, if you recall Ronde did not play all that well his 1st 2 seasons. Then he became a baller..
Winfield has been all that since day one. Believe Ronde was a 3rd rounder so they were drafted pretty close.
September 24th, 2020 at 4:27 pm
Pops looks like be could still boogie
September 24th, 2020 at 4:34 pm
Getinthebucs
Extending him? Lol. He is two games into his career. Only other people saying that are him and his agent. Gona be a couple years at earliest
September 24th, 2020 at 5:27 pm
If we catch the injury bug, Sr still looks legit
September 24th, 2020 at 6:13 pm
i say put his old man on the payrole
September 24th, 2020 at 6:19 pm
and el realisto is getting very very old, stale, and unreadable, man i can see having a gripe, but when every post is against the team, players, coach’s, logo, uni’s, stadium, cleats, vendors, analyst’s, assistants, and all things bucs, what’s the point of being on this site? just to be a dick, well that’s more than evident, don’t you have anything positive to say about our team? come on man
September 24th, 2020 at 8:33 pm
@Mitch
Your post explains my name.
I am an original poster to JBF and I have advocated from the beginning. As the 12th man on the team that will challenge father time. We have to be the ones to set the tone. We must ignore the fake news and the trolls!
WWG1WGA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 25th, 2020 at 9:00 am
Sorry realist but your wrong Bucs are moving in the right direction. Only thing that was missing was to develop TB replacement once he retires and it seems grabbing and grooming Rosen is the plan. They prob draft another QB next year and develop him as well seeing as TB will be here next year too. We are set on offense. Defense we will need to draft a few replacements but we are sitting good for several years and have a foundation to build on. All those draft capital on DBs the last several years are paying off finally and our DBs look legit. You should really stop hitting the crack pipe bud. Just saying lol
September 25th, 2020 at 8:32 pm
love the excuses to small lmao
Plays like a fiend. Better than Ronde one day.