Just when you think things couldn’t get any worse for the winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers … well, that’s what we get for thinking.
The Buccaneers found out Monday that they will be without their best (and highest-paid) defensive player, NFL All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield, for the next 2-4 weeks after he suffered a rib fracture in a Week 4 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
“Bucs safety Antoine Winfield Jr. has a rib fracture and is likely to miss 2-4 weeks, coach Todd Bowles said,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport wrote on his official X account on Monday.
“Todd Bowles told reporters that safety Antonine Winfield has a slight rib fracture and will be sidelined 2-4 weeks,” NFL on Prime’s James Palmer wrote on his official X account. “A lynch pin to the Bucs defense out for the next few weeks. Big blow.”
“Antoine Winfield Jr. has a rib fracture and will miss 2-4 weeks,” Tampa Bay Times NFL reporter Rick Stroud wrote on his official X account.
Winfield Hurt in 4th Quarter of Loss to Packers
Winfield was hurt late in the 4th quarter of a 17-14 loss that dropped the Buccaneers to 0-4.
“Bucs say Antoine Winfield has an abdomen/rib injury and his return is questionable,” Fox Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman wrote on his official X account on Sunday.
“Bucs All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. is limping off the field with the training staff,” ESPN’s Jenna Laine wrote on his official X account. “He had to stop for a few seconds as he got closer to the sideline — suggesting worsening pain — and walked even slower. He appeared to reach for his lower abdomen.”
Winfield Signed Massive Contract in 2024
Winfield was arguably the NFL’s best safety in 2023 — his lone NFL All-Pro season — and cashed in with a 4-year, $84.1 million contract extension that made him the NFL’s highest-paid defensive back at the time.
For all the good Winfield did in 2023, he was equally bad (or just not available) in 2024, when he missed a career-high 8 games, but bounced back by playing all 17 games in 2025 and earned Pro Bowl honors despite Tampa Bay going 8-9 and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2019.
Winless Bucs Dealt ‘Big Blow’ With Antoine Winfield Jr. Injury Update