TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Antoine Winfield Jr. is in the running for one of the National Football League’s most prestigious honors – the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.
Each year, the NFL recognizes an NFL player for outstanding community service activities off the field and excellence on the field. On Tuesday, the Buccaneers announced their safety, who’s been one of the most impactful players on the field this season, was up for the honor.
“It means everything to me to be nominated for Walter Payton Man of the Year,” Winfield Jr. said in a statement Tuesday. “Every year, the organization has the opportunity to nominate an individual and this was a goal that I set for myself. It’s great to not only be nominated, but to have the platform of this great award to now shed light on some of the most pressing issues in our community.”
Not only has Winfield Jr. excelled on the field, but he’s also distinguished himself off the gridiron through a genuine desire to make a lasting impact throughout the Tampa Bay area.
Since entering the league in 2020, Winfield Jr. has been elevating the community year after year, particularly with local foster children. While working with two local nonprofits – Heart Gallery of Tampa and A Kid’s Place of Tampa Bay – the safety has made it a mission of his that kids in the foster care system can have the same experiences as other children their age.
A few examples of his work off the field include organizing a Halloween celebration with A Kid’s Place when he took 55 children housed at the facility trick-or-treating and gifting each child with gift cards for food.
Additionally, Winfield Jr. and his fiancé Teesa previously took a group of young women to buy makeup, arranged a spay day and planned an outing to a local trampoline park.
Throughout his 3-year tenure in Tampa, Winfield Jr. has supported numerous Buccaneers team programs, such as the Youth Leadership Program. The player-led program allows the Bucs to engage with the community through mentorships, leadership development, and outreach opportunities.
Winfield Jr. even joined the team’s Social Justice Board, which helped spearhead the Youth Leadership Program.
Since arriving in Tampa Bay, the 25-year-old has emphasized impacting local youth and through the Buccaneers Community Ticket Program, has allowed children from the Heart Gallery of Tampa to attend home games.
As a nominee, Winfield Jr. will don a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet decal until the end of the season. During the week leading up to the 2024 Super Bowl, all 32 nominees from each NFL team will be recognized for their important work.
Given that the honor centers around community-based work, each nominee will receive up to a $55,000 donation, and the winner will receive a $250,000 donation to the charity of his choice. The 2023 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year winner will be announced on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, during the NFL honors.
If Winfield Jr. wins, he will become the second Buccaneer in franchise history to win the honor, joining linebacker Derrick Brooks, who won the honor in 2000.