DanielHouse
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by: Daniel House
A boy grips a football tightly, eyes his opponent in space and has one man to beat on his way to the end zone. With a Deion Sanders bandana wrapped around his head, a family bedroom became a stadium for a four-year-old. The only thing standing in the way of a young football player was the loving arms of his father – a top NFL cornerback.
For Gophers defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr., football is part of his earliest childhood memories. From a young age, the Gophers’ defensive back has shared a bond through football with his father, former Minnesota Vikings cornerback, Antoine Winfield Sr.
“I used to dress him up, put a helmet on him, a do-rag, my jersey and we’d play football up in our bedroom all the time,” Winfield Sr. said. “I knew he was destined to be a great football player. From the time he could really walk and run, I put a football in his hands.”
Whether it was an afternoon in the backyard with his brothers or a Vikings game at the Metrodome, Winfield Jr. always had eyes on his father, No. 26.
“The first thing that comes to my memory is going to all the home games,” Winfield Jr. said. “When the Vikings played here, we would always go up here and watch him play. I just remember it being exciting just to watch him on the field. Every time the defense went out there, I would look for his number.”
When he wasn’t on the field, Winfield Sr. would take his young son to the field and teach him technique like staying low, playing fast, having the right leverage and keeping his eyes in the right place. Dad set up ladders to improve his son’s agility, footwork and transition quickness.
“Ever since I was young, [my father] has always helped me,” Winfield Jr. said. “We would always go to the field and do footwork. He would just give me tips on what I need to do to get better and just different things to look forward to as my football career elevates.”
Winfield Jr. also spent time learning from Winfield Sr.’s Vikings teammates on Monday nights. The veteran cornerback always invited friends to his home for Monday Night Football. Winfield’s wife, Erniece, would cook dinner for the players, and Winfield Jr. would lounge with NFL players in the basement. He remembers playing Madden games against the likes of Adrian Peterson, Harrison Smith and Bobby Felder.
“I would always be down there playing Madden, so whoever would come in the house, I would challenge them to Madden and just run through everybody,” Winfield Jr. said with a smile.
Winfield Sr. is now retired and watching his son follow a similar path. Winfield Sr. was a stand-out player at Ohio State before being selected by the Buffalo Bills in the first-round of the 1999 NFL Draft.
The Vikings signed Winfield Sr. to a six-year contract in 2004. The acquisition turned out to be one of the top free agent pickups in team history. The 5-foot-9, 190-pound cornerback was often the smallest player on the field, but packed the biggest punch, pound for pound. During his nine seasons in Minnesota, Winfield Sr. would stick his nose into the backfield and blow up a running play or blitz off the edge to destroy a quarterback. He was also tasked with shutting down some of the most talented and speedy wide receivers in the league. In the process, Winfield Sr. posted 901 tackles, 27 interceptions, 7.5 sacks and 11 fumble recoveries in 14 NFL seasons with the Vikings and Bills.
After watching his dad and learning through the years, the football torch has now been passed from Winfield Sr., to his son.
Full story is on 1500ESPN: http://www.1500espn.com/gophers-2/2018/08/like-father-like-son-gophers-db-antoine-winfield-jr-chasing-dream/
A boy grips a football tightly, eyes his opponent in space and has one man to beat on his way to the end zone. With a Deion Sanders bandana wrapped around his head, a family bedroom became a stadium for a four-year-old. The only thing standing in the way of a young football player was the loving arms of his father – a top NFL cornerback.
For Gophers defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr., football is part of his earliest childhood memories. From a young age, the Gophers’ defensive back has shared a bond through football with his father, former Minnesota Vikings cornerback, Antoine Winfield Sr.
“I used to dress him up, put a helmet on him, a do-rag, my jersey and we’d play football up in our bedroom all the time,” Winfield Sr. said. “I knew he was destined to be a great football player. From the time he could really walk and run, I put a football in his hands.”
Whether it was an afternoon in the backyard with his brothers or a Vikings game at the Metrodome, Winfield Jr. always had eyes on his father, No. 26.
“The first thing that comes to my memory is going to all the home games,” Winfield Jr. said. “When the Vikings played here, we would always go up here and watch him play. I just remember it being exciting just to watch him on the field. Every time the defense went out there, I would look for his number.”
When he wasn’t on the field, Winfield Sr. would take his young son to the field and teach him technique like staying low, playing fast, having the right leverage and keeping his eyes in the right place. Dad set up ladders to improve his son’s agility, footwork and transition quickness.
“Ever since I was young, [my father] has always helped me,” Winfield Jr. said. “We would always go to the field and do footwork. He would just give me tips on what I need to do to get better and just different things to look forward to as my football career elevates.”
Winfield Jr. also spent time learning from Winfield Sr.’s Vikings teammates on Monday nights. The veteran cornerback always invited friends to his home for Monday Night Football. Winfield’s wife, Erniece, would cook dinner for the players, and Winfield Jr. would lounge with NFL players in the basement. He remembers playing Madden games against the likes of Adrian Peterson, Harrison Smith and Bobby Felder.
“I would always be down there playing Madden, so whoever would come in the house, I would challenge them to Madden and just run through everybody,” Winfield Jr. said with a smile.
Winfield Sr. is now retired and watching his son follow a similar path. Winfield Sr. was a stand-out player at Ohio State before being selected by the Buffalo Bills in the first-round of the 1999 NFL Draft.
The Vikings signed Winfield Sr. to a six-year contract in 2004. The acquisition turned out to be one of the top free agent pickups in team history. The 5-foot-9, 190-pound cornerback was often the smallest player on the field, but packed the biggest punch, pound for pound. During his nine seasons in Minnesota, Winfield Sr. would stick his nose into the backfield and blow up a running play or blitz off the edge to destroy a quarterback. He was also tasked with shutting down some of the most talented and speedy wide receivers in the league. In the process, Winfield Sr. posted 901 tackles, 27 interceptions, 7.5 sacks and 11 fumble recoveries in 14 NFL seasons with the Vikings and Bills.
After watching his dad and learning through the years, the football torch has now been passed from Winfield Sr., to his son.
Full story is on 1500ESPN: http://www.1500espn.com/gophers-2/2018/08/like-father-like-son-gophers-db-antoine-winfield-jr-chasing-dream/
