Minnesota Vikings star Antoine Winfield appears to have it all, but he still has some unfinished business
By Sean Jensen
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Article Last Updated: 09/27/2008
Antoine Winfield's $34.8 million contract doesn't include a bonus for helping lead the Vikings to a Super Bowl or earning a trip to a Pro Bowl.
So solidifying trips to Tampa, Fla., and Honolulu are certainly personal goals, but not as personal as the unique incentive that drives Winfield.
His grandparents, who, along with his mother, Shirley, raised him in Akron, Ohio, never have traveled by airplane. But they're willing to make an exception for their beloved grandson.
"They said the only time they'll fly is when I make the Super Bowl or Pro Bowl," Winfield said, "so I'm going to try to get them on that plane this season."
Winfield is well on his way to earning a trip to Hawaii.
Through three games, he has played stellar defense, picking off former league MVP Peyton Manning and pulling off a rare quad (sack, forced fumble, fumble recovery and touchdown return) against former Pro Bowl quarterback Jake Delhomme.
In the second-to-last year of a six-year contract, Winfield has been a bargain for the Vikings, especially in light of the eight-year, $80 million deal ($22 million guaranteed) that his former Buffalo Bills teammate cornerback Nate Clements signed last year with the San Francisco 49ers. In his previous four seasons with the Vikings, Winfield has been one of three cornerstones of the improving defense, along with linebacker E.J. Henderson and defensive tackle Kevin Williams. He has intercepted 13 passes, recorded 22 tackles for loss and scored three touchdowns, as many as former receiver Troy Williamson had in his three seasons with the Vikings.
"You always know what standard he is going to put out there," Vikings coach Brad Childress said of Winfield. "You've heard me say it 1,000 times. You just want to know what to expect, every time a guy goes out, and I know exactly what to expect."
Winfield is one of the NFL's most well-rounded cornerbacks. He is strong in pass and run defense, despite a 5-foot-9, 180-pound frame. Childress can't explain why Winfield hasn't made it to the Pro Bowl, but he knows his star cornerback is respected around the league.
"Whenever you see the caveat, toughest pound for pound in the National Football League," Childress said, "I think that speaks for itself."
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