Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. was seen as a Pro Bowl snub, but this week has been more fruitful for him on the award front.
Winfield was named the NFC defensive player of the week for Week 18 on Wednesday and he was named the conference’s top defensive player of the month on Thursday.
Winfield had 41 tackles, four sacks, an interception, four passes defensed, three forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery in five December games and the Bucs’ Week 18 win over the Panthers. The Panthers win secured the Bucs the NFC South title and the team won four of their other five contests.
That Pro Bowl snub might have rankled Winfield and the Bucs, but he stands a good chance at getting All-Pro recognition after a season that further cemented him as one of the league’s top defensive backs.
