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Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and his fiancee, Tessa Mpagi.
The fiancée of Tampa Bay Buccaneers All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. is being hailed as an “unexpected hero” following her actions after a car accident in Los Angeles on Saturday.
“Buccaneers S Antoine Winfield Jr.’s fiancée, Teesa Mpagi, helped a woman hit by a car in front of the friends-and-family bus headed to Saturday’s Fanatics Flag Football Classic at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account on Sunday morning.
Winfield and Mpagi were in attendance at the flag football showcase ahead of its introduction as an Olympic sport in Los Angeles in 2028.
Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr.’s fiancée, Teesa Mpagi, emerged as an unexpected hero on the way to Saturday’s Fanatics Flag Football Classic at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
From ESPN: “Mpagi rushed to aid a pedestrian struck by a car in front of the friends-and-family bus headed to the game, per eyewitnesses on the bus. A woman was hit by a car, prompting immediate action: Winfield’s fiancée leaped off the bus without hesitation to provide aid, staying by the victim’s side, holding her hand, calling her husband for support and offering comfort until emergency vehicles arrived. Winfield’s fiancée didn’t stop there; she rode in the ambulance to the hospital alongside the injured woman, ensuring she wasn’t alone during the ordeal.”
Tessa Mpagi, Antoine Winfield Jr. Both Elite Athletes
Mpagi is an elite athlete in her own right. She was a state long jump champion at The Woodlands (Texas) High School before competing in college for Rice and Texas.
Winfield Jr. also gave Mpagi credit for helping him become the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history when he signed a 4-year, $84.1 million contract extension before the 2024 NFL season.
Winfield Jr. told Tampa Bay Times NFL reporter Rick Stroud that 1 year before signing his deal, it was Mpagi who made him sit down and record a video where he stated what his goals were for the coming year.
Called One of NFL’s Most Overpaid Players
Winfield has struggled to live up to the expectations of the massive contract extension and hasn’t come close to the level of production that made him an NFL All-Pro in 2023.
Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon even put Winfield on his list of the NFL’s “Most Overpaid Players” headed into 2025.
“Winfield broke the bank last year after intercepting six passes to earn first-team All-Pro honors in 2023, but he was far less productive and efficient when healthy in 2024 and injuries have become a legitimate concern,” Gagnon wrote on September 1. “The 27-year-old has now missed 16 games the last four years and has been dealing with hamstring issues this summer. Winfield is five years into his career now, and he’s only had one great season. He’s off to a rough start in Year 6, and he’s scheduled to earn more than $55 million in 2026 and 2027 combined. “
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame
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