Antoine Duane Winfield Sr. (born June 24, 1977) is a former
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
cornerback
A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such offensive running plays as sweeps and reverses. They create tur ...
who played 14 years in the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL). He played
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
for the
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best publ ...
, earning consensus
All-American honors and winning the
Jim Thorpe Award
The Jim Thorpe Award, named in memory of multi-sport athlete Jim Thorpe, has been awarded to the top defensive back in college football since 1986. It is voted on by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame. In 2017, the award became sponsored by Paycom ...
. He was drafted by the
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
in the first round of the
1999 NFL Draft
The 1999 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 17–18, 1999, at the Theater at M ...
. He played five seasons for the Bills and nine seasons for the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansion ...
. He was a three-time
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players.
The format has changed thro ...
selection as a member of the Vikings.
Early years
Winfield was born in
Akron, Ohio
Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County, Ohio, Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, about south of downtown Cleveland. As of the 2020 C ...
. He attended
Garfield High School in his hometown of Akron.
College career
Winfield received an athletic scholarship to attend
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best publ ...
, where he played for the
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team competes as part of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, representing Ohio State University in the East Division of the Big Ten Conference. Ohio State has played their home games at Ohio Stadium in ...
team from 1995 to 1998. As a senior in 1998, he was a consensus first-team
All-American, and won the
Jim Thorpe Award
The Jim Thorpe Award, named in memory of multi-sport athlete Jim Thorpe, has been awarded to the top defensive back in college football since 1986. It is voted on by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame. In 2017, the award became sponsored by Paycom ...
as the nation's top
defensive back
In gridiron football, defensive backs (DBs), also called the secondary, are the players on the defensive side of the ball who play farthest back from the line of scrimmage. They are distinguished from the other two sets of defensive players, the ...
.
Professional career
Buffalo Bills
The
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
selected Winfield in the first round (23rd overall pick) of the 1999 NFL Draft, and he played for the Bills from to .
1999
On July 30, 1999, the Buffalo Bills signed Winfield to a five-year,
$7.98 million contract.
Head coach
Wade Phillips
Harold Wade Phillips (born June 21, 1947) is an American football coach who is currently the head coach of the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL. He has served as head coach of the Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, and Dallas Cowboys. He has also serve ...
named Winfield the third cornerback in the depth chart to begin the regular season, behind veterans
Thomas Smith and
Ken Irvin
Kenneth Pernell Irvin (born July 11, 1972) is a former American football defensive back who played for eleven seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Buffalo Bills, New Orleans Saints, and the Minnesota Vikings. He was drafted in t ...
.
Winfield made his professional regular season debut in the
Buffalo Bills’ season-opener at the
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
and recorded three combined tackles and made his first career interception during their 31–14 loss. Winfield made his first career interception off a pass attempt by Colts’ quarterback
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
, that was originally intended for the wide receiver
Jerome Pathon
Jerome Pathon (born December 16, 1975) is a South African-born Canadian American football coach and former wide receiver who played eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He later was a position coach for both the University of So ...
, and returned it for a three-yard gain in the fourth quarter.
On December 26, 1999, Winfield earned his first career start in place of
Ken Irvin
Kenneth Pernell Irvin (born July 11, 1972) is a former American football defensive back who played for eleven seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Buffalo Bills, New Orleans Saints, and the Minnesota Vikings. He was drafted in t ...
who was placed on injured reserve due to a foot injury he sustained the previous week. He finished his first career start with one tackle during their 13–10 victory at the
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
in a Week 16. In Week 17, Winfield collected a season-high 11 combined tackles as the Bills defeated the Indianapolis Colts 31–6. He finished his rookie season in
1999
File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shootin ...
with 40 combined tackles and two interceptions in 16 games and two starts.
The Buffalo Bills finished second in the
AFC East
The American Football Conference – Eastern Division or AFC East is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). There are currently four teams that reside in the d ...
with an 11–5 record and earned a wildcard berth. On January 8, 2000, Winfield started in his first career playoff game and recorded three combined tackles and intercepted a pass by Titans’ quarterback
Steve McNair
Stephen LaTreal McNair (February 14, 1973 – July 4, 2009),[Steve McNair Found Dead](_blank)
...
during their 22–16 loss at the
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their h ...
in the AFC Wildcard Game.
2000
Winfield entered training camp slated as a starting cornerback after Thomas Smith departed during free agency and signed with the
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
. Head coach Wade Phillips named Winfield and Ken Irvin the starting cornerbacks to begin the regular season. In Week 9, Winfield collected a season-high nine combined tackles during a 23–20 victory against the
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
. On November 5, 2000, Winfield sustained a shoulder injury during a 16–13 win at the
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
. On November 19, 2000, Winfield further aggravated his shoulder injury during a 21–17 victory at the
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The tea ...
. On November 24, 2000, the Buffalo Bills placed Winfield on injured reserve after it was discovered he had a torn labrum cartilage in his right shoulder that would require surgery.
2001
On January 8, 2001, the Buffalo Bills fired head coach Wade Phillips after they finished with an 8–8 record in 2000. Head coach
Gregg Williams
Gregg Williams (born July 15, 1958) is an American football coach. He most recently served as the defensive coordinator for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL) from 2019 to 2020. Previously, he was head coach of the Buff ...
retained Winfield and Ken Irvin as the starting cornerbacks to begin the regular season. On September 23, 2001, Winfield recorded three combined tackles, a pass deflection, forced a fumble, and intercepted a pass by Colts’ quarterback Peyton Manning during a 42–26 loss at the
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
in Week 2. In Week 14, he collected a season-high eight solo tackles as the Bills loss 12–9 to the
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
. He started in all 16 games in
2001
The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a Participants in ...
and recorded 80 combined tackles (68 solo), nine pass deflections, and two interceptions.
2002
Winfield returned as a starting cornerback in 2002. He started alongside his former Ohio State teammate
Nate Clements
Nathan D. Clements (born December 12, 1979) is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Ohio State. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills 21st overall in the 2001 NFL Draft, and a ...
. In Week 3, Winfield collected a season-high nine combined tackles during a 28–23 loss at the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...
in Week 3. Winfield missed three games (Weeks 7–9) due to a knee injury. On October 18, 2002, Winfield underwent
arthroscopic surgery
Arthroscopy (also called arthroscopic or keyhole surgery) is a minimally invasive surgical procedure on a joint in which an examination and sometimes treatment of damage is performed using an arthroscope, an endoscope that is inserted into the jo ...
on his knee. He finished the season with 56 combined tackles (51 solo) and seven pass deflections in 13 games and 13 starts.
2003
Defensive coordinator
Jerry Gray
Jerry Don Gray (born December 16, 1962) is an American football coach and former player who is the defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). Gray played college football ...
retained Winfield and Nate Clements the starting cornerback duo in 2003. On October 5, 2003, Winfield collected a season-high 12 combined tackles (11 solo) as the Bills defeated the
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The c ...
22–16. On November 23, 2003, Winfield recorded ten combined tackles (seven solo) and made his first career sack during a 17–14 loss against the
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
in Week 12. Winfield sacked Colts’ quarterback
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
for a six-yard loss during the first quarter. Winfield started in all 16 games in
2003
File:2003 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The crew of STS-107 perished when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry into Earth's atmosphere; SARS became an epidemic in China, and was a precursor to SARS-CoV-2; A des ...
and recorded a career-high 107 combined tackles (92 solo), 11 pass deflections, two forced fumbles, one sack, and an interception.
2004
Winfield became an unrestricted free agent in 2004 and was considered by many analysts to be the top free agent cornerback on the market. He was heavily pursued by multiple teams, including the
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
,
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
,
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...
, and
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansion ...
. On March 4, 2004, it was reported that the New York Jets and Winfield has agreed, in principle, to a six-year, $30 million contract with $10 million guaranteed. Winfield attended a visit with the Minnesota Vikings and officially signed with them the following day.
Minnesota Vikings
![Antoine Winfield 2010](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/Antoine_Winfield_2010.jpg)
On March 5, 2004, the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansion ...
signed Winfield to a six-year, $34.8 million contract that includes a
signing bonus
A signing bonus or sign-on bonus is a sum of money paid to a new employee (including a professional sports person) by a company as an incentive to join that company. They are often given as a way of making a compensation package more attractive ...
of $10.8 million. Head coach
Mike Tice
Michael Peter Tice (born February 2, 1959) is a former American football tight end and coach. He played college football at the University of Maryland, College Park and spent 11 seasons playing in the National Football League (NFL) before spendin ...
named Winfield and
Brian Williams
Brian Douglas Williams (born May 5, 1959) is an American retired journalist and television news anchor. He was a reporter for ''NBC Nightly News'' starting in 1993, before his promotion to anchor and managing editor of the broadcast in 2004. ...
the starting cornerbacks to start the regular season.
On October 17, 2004, Winfield recorded seven combined tackles, deflected a pass, and made his first interception as a member of the Vikings during a 38–31 win at the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
. Winfield intercepted a pass by Saints’ quarterback
Aaron Brooks, that was intended for wide receiver
Ernie Conwell
Ernest Harold Conwell (born August 17, 1972) is a former American football tight end in the National Football League. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He played college football at Washington.
Conw ...
, and returned it for a 56-yard gain during the first quarter. The following week, Winfield made eight solo tackles, two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass attempt by Titans’ quarterback
Billy Volek
John William Volek (born April 28, 1976) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League. He was signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent in 2000 and also played for the San Diego Chargers. He ...
during a 20–3 victory against the
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their h ...
in Week 7. In Week 9, he collected a season-high 13 combined tackles (ten solo) and broke up two passes during a 31–28 loss at the
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
. Winfield was inactive for two games (Weeks 14–15) due to an ankle injury. Winfield finished the
2004 NFL season
The 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League.
With New England as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005. Hurricanes forced the rescheduling o ...
with 85 combined tackles (70 solo), five passes defenses, three interceptions, and two forced fumbles in 14 games and 14 starts.
2005
Head coach Mike Tice named Winfield and newly acquired free agent
Fred Smoot
Fredrick Smoot (born April 17, 1979) is a former American professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He played college football for Mississippi State University, and was recogniz ...
the starting cornerbacks to begin 2005. They started alongside safeties
Corey Chavous
Corey Lamonte Chavous (; born January 5, 1976) is a former American football defensive back who played 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Chavous played for three teams, at both safety and cornerback. Chavous was known as one of th ...
and
Darren Sharper
Darren Mallory Sharper (born November 3, 1975) is an American convicted serial rapist and a former football safety who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. He played college football at William & Mary and was selected ...
. On November 6, 2005, Winfield collected a season-high 14 combined tackles (11 solo), deflected two passes, and made an interception off Lions’ quarterback
Joey Harrington
John Joseph Harrington Jr. (born October 21, 1978) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons, primarily with the Detroit Lions. He played college football at Oregon, where he wa ...
during a 27–14 win against the
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...
in Week 9. In Week 12, Winfield made nine combined tackles, a season-high three pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by
Trent Dilfer
Trent Farris Dilfer (born March 13, 1972) is a former American football quarterback and analyst who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. He is best known as the starting quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens during their Su ...
as the Vikings defeated the
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...
24–12.
2006–2008
In the Vikings' 30–27 win over the
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
on Week 5 (October 6) of 2008, a ''
Monday Night Football
''ESPN Monday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''MNF'' and also known as ''ESPN Monday Night Football on ABC'' for simulcasts) is an American live television broadcast of weekly National Football League (NFL) games currently airing on ESPN, AB ...
'' game, Winfield returned a blocked field goal attempt by
Martin Gramatica Martin may refer to:
Places
* Martin City (disambiguation)
* Martin County (disambiguation)
* Martin Township (disambiguation)
Antarctica
* Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land
* Port Martin, Adelie Land
* Point Martin, South Orkney Islands
Austral ...
59 yards for a touchdown. Additionally, Winfield had 8 tackles and one
deflected pass that game.
Winfield finished 2008 with 95 total tackles, 2 sacks, 5 passes defended, and one interception.
He made his first Pro Bowl in 2008.
2009
On July 23, 2009 the Vikings signed Winfield to a new five-year, $36 million contract. The deal includes $16.1 million in guarantees. He made his second straight Pro Bowl in 2010 after replacing injured
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
Dominique Reshard Rodgers-Cromartie (born April 7, 1986) is a former American football cornerback who played 11 years in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Tennessee State University, and was drafted by the Arizona ...
. After making the
2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
Pro Bowl squad, he made an interception that led to a touchdown in an NFC 55–41 victory. He is regarded as one of the most physical corners in the league, known for his bone-jarring hits, and was ranked by
Peter King of ''
Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...
'' as the 31st best player in the NFL.
2010–2012
Winfield was the only player on the Vikings' active 2012 roster who played during the 1990s.
2013
Winfield was released by the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansion ...
on March 12, 2013 in a move to clear $7.25 million in salary cap space.
Seattle Seahawks
Winfield signed with the
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...
on April 17, 2013 to a one-year, $3 million contract. He was assigned number 21 due to starting fullback Michael Robinson having already been assigned 26 in 2010. He was released from the team during final cuts on August 31, 2013.
Retirement
On August 31, 2013,
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...
coach
Pete Carroll
Peter Clay Carroll (born September 15, 1951) is an American football coach who is the head coach and executive vice president for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He was previously the head football coach at USC Troja ...
announced on Twitter that Winfield was retiring.
NFL career statistics
Records and notable statistics
Personal life
Winfield's son,
Antoine Jr., is a defensive back for the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South divisio ...
.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Winfield, Antoine Sr.
1977 births
Living people
All-American college football players
American football cornerbacks
Buffalo Bills players
Minnesota Vikings players
National Conference Pro Bowl players
Ohio State Buckeyes football players
Players of American football from Akron, Ohio
Seattle Seahawks players