Antoine Winfield Jr. Injury Update Clouds NFC Championship Game Status

Update - Jan 24, 1:45 p.m. EST: After going through a lengthy pre-game workout, Winfield has been declared out for Sunday's game.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. has been a major force for the Bucs' defense, earning some high praise from head coach Bruce Arians. Winfield is key to helping slow down the Green Bay Packers' electric offense in the NFC Championship Game, but the first-year player picked up an ankle injury in practice this week.

The latest injury update on Winfield puts his status for the conference championship at risk.

Antoine Winfield Jr. Injury News

Recent reports suggest Winfield is trending towards playing, but that's not certain, especially given the volatility of ankle injuries for NFL players.

The son of a former Pro Bowler, Winfield has impressed as a rookie, totaling 6 passes defensed, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 1 interception in the regular season (all starts). The safety left his mark on the Bucs' Divisional Round win against the New Orleans Saints as well, forcing a fumble that kick-started Tampa's comeback victory.

Having Winfield in the lineup would be huge for the Buccaneers, who face a Green Bay offense that led the league in scoring per game (31.8) and was fifth in yards per contest (389.0).

The Packers are slight 3-point favorites over the Bucs on Sunday, per FanDuel Sportsbook.

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