Getty Antonio Brown practiced on Thursday in hopes to return for the Super Bowl.
Antonio Brown showed progress in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ practice on Thursday as he looks to play in the Super Bowl after dealing with a knee injury for nearly three weeks.
Brown and fellow injured Bucs Antoine Winfield Jr. and Jordan Whitehead practiced and are moving toward getting healthy enough to play, Bucs head coach Bruce Arians said, according to The Athletic’s Greg Auman.
“They all worked today and looked good,” Bruce Arians says of his players questionable with injury. Jordan Whitehead, Antoine Winfield, Antonio Brown uncertain but trending in the right direction for Sunday.
While Brown could still have swelling in the knee, practicing indicates it subsided per NFL Network’s James Palmer.
The star wide receiver spoke with the media on Wednesday about his hopes to play the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. The Bucs practice again on Friday and final injury designations will be made per Pro Football Talk’s Josh Alper.
Brown said on Wednesday that, “The arrow is pointing up as the week continues to unfold” per Auman.
Antonio Brown, on his knee and recovery: “The arrow is pointing up as the week continues to unfold.”
Brown injured his knee in the Divisional Round at New Orleans on Jan. 17 and didn’t play in the NFC Championship game at Green Bay on Jan. 24. He stayed at home for that game to avoid additional swelling on the plane according to Arians in a Jan. 22 press conference. Brown didn’t practice last week except for some light work on Jan. 28 according to Arians in Monday’s press conference.
The former Pro Bowler signed with the Bucs in October and caught five touchdowns through the last month of the regular season and Wild Card round at Washington. The Bucs offense hasn’t missed a beat with Brown out, scoring 31 points at Green Bay and 30 at New Orleans with Brown limited for half of that game.
Winfield Expects to Play
While Winfield doesn’t have the official green light to go, he said in Wednesday’s press conference that he plans to play on Sunday after missing the NFC Championship game due to an ankle injury. He said his ankle is “100 percent go” per Buccaneers.com’s Carmen Vitali.
“The ankle is feeling good, I’m gonna play the game,” says S Antoine Winfield Jr. “It’s 100% go.”
The rookie safety from Minnesota burst on the scene this season with 94 tackles and an interception. Winfield won NFC Rookie of the Month honors in September.
His father, Antoine Winfield Sr., played in the NFL before from 1999 to 2013.
Whitehead Eager for Challenge
If Whitehead takes the field on Sunday, he will be ready because he believes the offense he faces in practice offers great preparation for taking on the high-octane Chiefs offense per Sports Illustrated’s All Bucs.
Asked #GoBucs safety Jordan Whitehead if facing a top passing offense every week in practice, like Kansas City, makes Tampa bay’s defense fearless.
“I know for a fact we definitely have the best offense in the league… really, going against them gives you confidence.”
Whitehead gives the Bucs defense confidence at safety with a solid third season. He made 74 tackles, two sacks, and two interceptions during the regular season.
In Wednesday’s press conference, he credited defensive coordinator Todd Bowles for the defense’s success per Buccaneers.com’s Scott Smith.
Jordan Whitehead on DC Todd Bowles: “Coach Bowles is very smart. I’ve never been around anybody who knows and loves this game more than Coach Bowles. He does a great job of disguising, mixing up calls. He knows the game and I respect him a lot.”
David’s Wait Ending
Linebacker Lavonte David played eight seasons for the Bucs before this season’s Super Bowl run, but shoulder and hamstring injuries may stand in his way from playing on Sunday.
He injured the shoulder and hamstring against Green Bay on Jan. 24, but he practiced on Thursday. His status remains in question.
David had 20 tackles and a sack in the playoffs before getting injured in the NFC Championship. He posted 117 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and an interception in the regular season.