Bucs safety Antoine Winfield Jr. was a big reason for the team’s 21-18 win over the Panthers in Week 13 and on Wednesday, he was rewarded for it with NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors. The honor was the second in two days for Winfield, as the 25-year-old was announced as the Bucs’ Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee on Tuesday.

Your NFC Defensive Player of the Week ‼️@AntoineWJr11 is on a roll. 👏 pic.twitter.com/b6iLpBoMx5

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) December 6, 2023

Winfield recorded a sack on Carolina quarterback Bryce Young early on in the game before coming up with a game-sealing interception of Young with 2:21 to go in the fourth quarter. Overall, he led the Bucs with eight tackles (six solo) and had two tackles for loss. He was one of two players in Week 13 to record a sack and a takeaway, joining Jacksonville’s Josh Allen.

Winfield became the second Buc to earn one of the league’s weekly awards this season, joining punter Jake Camarda, who won NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors in Week 2.

Antoine Winfield Jr. Continues To Dominate In 2023

Bucs FS Antoine Winfield Jr. – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Antoine Winfield Jr. has been the Bucs’ best and most consistent defender this season, and it’s truly shaping up to be a career year for the fourth-year safety. Through 12 games, he has 89 tackles (53 solo), three sacks, two interceptions, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.

That’s a new career high in forced fumbles, while he’s already matched his interception and fumble recoveries with five games to go. He is also a game or two away from setting new career highs in tackles, while one more sack would match his previous single-season high of four, which came in 2022.

When it comes to the most games with a sack and a takeaway this season, Antoine Winfield Jr. and Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt lead the league with three such games each. Winfield has been a one-man wrecking crew in multiple games for Tampa Bay this season.

All of this success is coming at the perfect time for Winfield, who is in a contract year. The Bucs will make him a priority free agent this offseason, and he’s earned a big-money second contract. A first-time captain in 2023 as well, Winfield has solidified his place as one of the core pieces of the Tampa Bay defense.

Of course, the 2020 second-round pick has been doing that since his rookie season. Since 2020, Winfield leads all defensive backs with 12.0 sacks while tying for first among defensive backs for quarterback hits (18). He also leads all players in fumble recoveries since 2020, totaling seven over three-plus seasons.