Rob Gronkowski Praises Antoine Winfield Jr. After Bucs' Win Over Colts
Whew. What a game.
The Buccaneers' 38-31 win over the Indianapolis Colts was filled with great moments, but the biggest moment arguably came when Antoine Winfield Jr. leaped over Michael Pittman Jr. and intercepted a Carson Wentz pass in the third quarter.
The play was an incredible feat of speed, athleticism, and elite ball skills. The second-year safety then returned the interception 30-yards to set the Bucs offense up with a 1st and 10 at their own 35. Tom Brady and Co. would then drive down the field and score a touchdown to take a 28-24 lead. The Bucs never trailed again.
Winfield Jr.'s pick amazed those watching (well, maybe not the Colts or their fans, but I digress), which included his teammates on the sideline; most notably, Rob Gronkowski.
"That was maybe one of the best plays I've ever seen by a defensive back," Gronk told reporters after the game. "That just brought his game up to another level, to show his athletic ability.
"It was one of the most athletic interceptions I've ever seen and coming from a safety, too. Pretty incredible."
Winfield Jr. has had a knack for making clutch plays during his first two seasons with the Bucs. He was responsible for knocking the ball out of Jared Cook's hands during the Bucs' playoff win over the Saints, breaking up the pass from Daniel Jones to seal the 2020 win over the Giants, and knocking the ball away from Calvin Ridley as he attempted to catch a deep touchdown pass from Matt Ryan.
Gronk also mentioned how he believes that Winfield Jr. is the most underrated player on the team. While that may be true, he's bound to start garnering more attention after this week.
Stay tuned to AllBucs for further coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and other NFL news and analysis. Follow along on social media at @SIBuccaneers on Twitter and Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sports Illustrated on Facebook.
