Vikings Legend Freaks Out over Pro Bowl Voting
Dustin Baker
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Don’t mess with his son’s money.
That’s the message — quite literally and in print — from former Minnesota Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield Sr.
Vikings Legend Freaks Out over Pro Bowl Voting
Winfield Sr.’s son, Antoine Winfield Jr., plays for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and has produced a magnificent 2023 campaign, not uncommon for the four-year veteran. Winfield Jr. entered the NFL in 2020, and many Vikings fans wanted the club to draft him, but no cigar.
Now, Winfield Jr. is a Pro Bowl alternate, just one injury or Super Bowl appearance from another player away from the precious Pro Bowl nod. Son Winfield reached the Pro Bowl one other time, in 2021.
But that’s not good enough for the father Winfield.
He posted to social media after voting was announced, “WE DEMAND A RECOUNT. NFL — somebody has some explaining to do!!! Ain’t NO WAY in HELL Buddha Baker goes to the Pro Bowl ahead of My lil man with NO STATS. I know how important Pro Bowls are on the Resume; it just so happens to be his Contract year. We ain’t going for the Bullshit. Somebody Need to Holla at me.”
Jessie Bates (Atlanta Falcons), Budda Baker (Arizona Cardinals), and Julian Love (Seattle Seahawks) received Pro Bowl nods over Winfield Jr. Baker drew the attention of Winfield Sr. because his son’s statistics far outshine Baker’s.
10 Tampa Bay Sports Director Evan Closky also opined on the Winfield Jr. snub, “We all thought Antoine Winfield Jr. was a no-brainer selection as well, but somehow he didn’t make it. He has five sacks, seven takeaways, and five forced fumbles this year — no DB in this millennium has at least five sacks and five forced fumbles other than Antoine Winfield Jr. There is zero logical or statistical reasoning for this snub.”
The irony is Winfield Jr. will probably get in the Pro Bowl anyway if Bates, Baker, or Love bow out, but father Winfield seemingly doesn’t care. He wants intervention — that likely won’t happen.
Winfield Jr. is considered the NFL’s second-best safety in 2023, according to Pro Football Focus, trailing the aforementioned Bates by 0.1 per PFF‘s grading system. Winfield Sr. is correct: His son should’ve received Pro Bowl kudos over Baker. The Cardinals safety, Baker, ranks 53rd of 97 qualifying safeties via PFF‘s scoring.
Vikings safety Josh Metellus is also a Pro Bowl alternate, although second in line behind Winfield Jr.
The 2024 Pro Bowl Games will take place at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on February 1st.
Winfield Sr. played 119 games for the Vikings from 2004 to 2012.
2 Vikings Snubbed via Pro Bowl Voting
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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