Latest update on Buccaneers star Antoine Winfield Jr.’s injury

Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. has been sitting out of practice due to what head coach Todd Bowles described as a "sore leg", and the general assumption from beat reporters is that he'll be ready to rock in Week 1.

And while that still may be the case, some more details about his injury have been revealed, and it makes sense why the team is so cautious — Winfield Jr. is dealing with a hamstring issue.

The Bucs are set to face off against the Pittsburgh Steelers in joint practice on Thursday, one day after they had a practice by themselves. Tampa Bay Times beat writer Rick Stroud got an update on Winfield Jr.'s status, posting on social media Thursday that he's specifically dealing with hamstring tightness, which is why he's being held out.

#Bucs S Antoine Winfield Jr. has hamstring tightness and the team is being very careful with their All Pro safety. Pretty good news considering.
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) August 14, 2025

That designation is certainly different than what we've heard in recent days, but it makes sense — the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been battling these hamstring injuries all camp.

Buccaneers battling multiple hamstring injuries

Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. participates in training camp at AdventHealth Training Center. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Antoine Winfield Jr. isn't the only Bucs player struggling with a hamstring injury.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have seen players like TE Cade Otton, WRs Tez Johnson and Trey Palmer and CB Benjamin Morrison, among others, have problems with hamstrings. Otton and Johnson have returned to practice already, but other players, like Morrison and Winfield Jr., will likely be held out until Week 1.

Positions that run a lot are particularly susceptible to hamstring injuries, and it can get worse in the intense heat. While extreme heat doesn't corrlate to hamstring injuries directly, it can make a player much more fatigued and battle with dehydration, which could cause those types of muscles to work incorrectly and increase injury. The Tampa Bay heat is nothing new to most of these players, but record temperatures have made tough training camp seasons even worse.

For now, the Bucs will do their best to be careful will all of their hamstring injuries. Those types of injuries are easy to reinjure, so all eyes will likely be on Week 1 for Antoine Winfield Jr.

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