It’s been more than two weeks since Antoine Winfield Jr. and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won Super Bowl LV, but Winfield’s not that far removed from the triumph in Raymond James Stadium.
Winfield, who recently had the Lombardi Trophy tattooed upon his arm, is donating the amount of $7,815 -- the sum he was fined for taunting the Kansas City Chiefs’ Tyreek Hill during the big game -- to support the Buccaneers Youth Leadership Program at East Tampa’s Young Middle Magnet School.
In turn, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Social Justice Fund is matching Winfield’s pledge and upping the total amount donated to the school to $15,630.
"Since it got a lot of media attention, it was out there and I wanted to just spin it in a way to make it positive," Winfield said via the team website’s Carmen Vitali. "And what better way than to give back to the Youth Leadership program that I did all year? That was kind of how that kind of came about because I was thinking of different things I could do. I spent the whole year with the kids and talking to them and everything, so I feel like that was a good opportunity to go with those guys."
The donation was appreciated by Hillsborough County superintendent Addison Davis.
"Our district is deeply appreciative, not only for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but also Antoine Winfield, Jr. for this monetary donation that will make a strong impact at Young Middle Magnet," Davis said, via Buccaneers.com. "Taking an unfortunate situation and turning it into a positive one is the measure of a true champion, and a wonderful example for our students and entire community."
It's another positive take on the play and its aftermath from Winfield, who previously admitted he didn’t regret flashing a peace sign in Hill’s face in the final quarter of the Bucs’ victory.
"The taunting, it was something I just had to do," Winfield said after game. "When we played them earlier, Hill went off on us. He back-flipped in front of my face and gave me the peace sign. So it was only right that I gave him the peace sign right back to him at this moment. It felt amazing to be able to do that. I'm not even gonna lie."
In the Chiefs’ regular-season win over the Buccaneers, Hill had himself a day and flashed his trademark peace sign to Winfield after one score and then did a back flip into the end zone after another touchdown.
Winfield bided his time and got the last word -- or sign, as it were.
A Super Bowl champion after a stellar rookie campaign, Winfield’s basking in the big game glory, taking it all in and giving back, as well.