Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Antoine Winfield, Jr. joins Hall of Fame company in Bucs' win over Falcons

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Craig Smith | Last updated 12/10/23

It was a memorable day for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday. The Buccaneers managed to blow a nine-point lead in the fourth quarter but rallied in the final minutes for a 29-25 win, which put them on top of the NFC South division through 14 weeks.

One of the game's biggest stars also joined elite company in the process. Safety Antoine Winfield, Jr matched former Philadelphia Eagles safety and Pro Football Hall of Famer Brian Dawkins as the only defensive backs to record 3+ sacks, 3+ forced fumbles, and 3+ fumble recoveries in a season since the turn of the century.

Antoine Winfield Jr. joins Pro Football Hall of Famer Brian Dawkins (2002) as the only defensive backs with 3.0+ sacks, 3+ forced fumbles and 3+ fumble recoveries in a single season since 2000.
— Buccaneers Communications (@BuccaneersComms) December 10, 2023

Winfield, Jr. reached the mark with one of the biggest plays of the game for the Buccaneers' defense. With the game tied at 10 and the Falcons starting a drive on their own 8-yard line late in the first half, Winfield, Jr. came flying around the edge on a blitz. Desmond Ridder didn't see him, and he dislodged the ball and sent it flying across the end zone. The ball was recovered by Atlanta's Kevin Smith, who tried to run but was tackled for a safety by Pat O'Connor.

Winfield, Jr.'s forced fumble of Ridder was his third of the season, which marks a career best. He also has 3 fumble recoveries, 3 sacks, and 2 interceptions, which have helped him earn an incredible 91.2 Pro Football Focus grade for the year. It's been a Pro Bowl-caliber season for the fourth-year safety, one that has now placed him in the same category as one of the greatest safeties to ever play the game in Dawkins, a 2018 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee.

Jason Licht will have some very big decisions on a number of Buccaneers set to be free agents in March, including Winfield, Jr. Tampa Bay's star young defender continues to make it even tougher for the Buccaneers' general manager to let him leave town when free agency begins.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: