“Tristan Is The Best Tackle That I’ve Played Against”
June 12th, 2021
Gives teammate major props.
Joe cannot get enough of Tristan Wirfs stories.
The Bucs’ right tackle, about to enter his second NFL season, is already regarded as one of the best in the game. He was second in All-Pro voting at right tackle, which is a high honor for any NFL player much less a rookie.
And now Wirfs is getting glossed by none other than Bucs sacks king Shaq Barrett.
This week, Shaq — who faces Wirfs regularly in practice — couldn’t heap enough praise on the Bucs’ rising star.
“Tristan is the best tackle that I’ve played against,” Shaq said. “He most definitely learns from his mistakes. Then he most definitely don’t repeat those same mistakes.”
Shaq actually added that he is looking forward to training camp. No, really.
“He will make me a better player,” Shaq said of Wirfs. “If I’m able to break [Wirfs] down and get some wins on him, it will [surely] translate over to other tackles in the league.”
Now obviously Shaq has not “played” against Wirfs. They are teammates. But Joe gets what Shaq is saying.
Joe does know that when the Bucs drafted Wirfs, and they needed him to be midseason-ready right off the bat facing the Saints and Cam Jordan. So the Bucs told Jason Pierre-Paul and Shaq to give Wirfs everything they had, and Wirfs got an immediate baptism by fire in training camp.
And the tactic worked. Wirfs never gave up a sack until the Bears’ game in Week 5, the last sack he allowed.
Shaq has been around the block as an outside linebacker/edge rusher. So it is really attention-grabbing to hear Shaq say Wirfs is the best tackle he’s ever faced.
“@TristanWirfs74 is the best tackle I’ve played against.”
🗣️: @ShaquilBarrett pic.twitter.com/SWdTuYh3AK
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) June 10, 2021
June 12th, 2021 at 11:10 am
He is a beast!
I remember after several weeks of the season there were many on here calling for the heads of Arians, Bowles, BL. They were also talking about how horrible the O line is and how horrible the DBs are.
Patience! Follow Brady’s lead and this team is on the verge of creating history
June 12th, 2021 at 11:15 am
its just incredible to think of how many things went so perfect for us last year! i can’t wait to see what this year brings!
June 12th, 2021 at 11:21 am
When i used to be a fat trucker, I probably drove by Tristan’s home town 100 times and i never saw him drunk driving once.
June 12th, 2021 at 11:28 am
Pete, that’s one of the sweetest things I’ve ever seen you write on this blog.
June 12th, 2021 at 11:29 am
I don’t see how Tristan could improve on last year. What was it, one sack and one penalty? Must be a record for someone playing every snap. Bound to have more than one of each this year. But still the best RT in the league. All star.
June 12th, 2021 at 11:33 am
“Tristan is the best tackle that I’ve played against,” Shaq said.
________
Notice he didn’t say RT?
I hope he’s our LT ASAP.
June 12th, 2021 at 11:37 am
I was so excited when Wirfs fell to us and we got him with pick #13. I had him ranked #1, Thomas #2, Willis #3 and the giant from Louisville at #4…
It was a gift from the football gods.
June 12th, 2021 at 11:40 am
@ Dooosh
I’m not too sure about that… Although I agree with you that Wirfs would probably be a better RT than Smith I dont believe Smith is that much of a liability as long as Brady is the QB.
Winston was notorious for holding the ball too long and Smith’s performance and stats suffered because of it.
June 12th, 2021 at 11:47 am
I remember Draft Day, we had a party over here.
Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to see Tristan Wirfs still there, when we picked.
Surely, this was a gift from the Football Gods!
June 12th, 2021 at 11:54 am
Tristan Wirfs was a gift for Tom Brady!
Tom Brady deserves to be protected as the King that he is.
June 12th, 2021 at 12:12 pm
Tristan Wirfs is the best tackle I haven’t played against.
June 12th, 2021 at 12:33 pm
Tristan Wirfs has to go down in NFL History as one of the best draft picks ever…
Not only did he turn out to be the best Offensive Lineman in a draft full of hyped top OL guys – when have we ever seen so many taken so high?
BUT… we end up getting a steal on him at a position of NEED *and* he steps right in and has a lot to do with why we won a Super Bowl.
No one ever gives Wirfs enough credit in the RUN GAME.
THINK ABOUT THIS…
That important TD run of Lenny’s against the Packers in the NFC Championship… and that long TD run of Lenny’s in the Super Bowl…
Both runs to the RIGHT SIDE. Towards Wirfs.
HAHAHA… man oh man…
Remember all the CRYBABIES on this site on Draft night and for a few weeks that followed that were so upset at Licht giving Lynch a paltry 4th rounder to move up that one spot to secure Wirfs? LMAO!
June 12th, 2021 at 12:34 pm
Even that Godwin sweep to close out the NFC Championship… WENT TO WIRFS SIDE.
June 12th, 2021 at 1:06 pm
Wasnt he the third tackle picked? I remember he had a good amount of workout stats people were talking about. He had a ton of athletic ability. Seems like a really bright young man. Hell of a pick.
June 12th, 2021 at 1:07 pm
Most underrated Wirf’s moment is when he got hip tossed, and instead of fighting it and possibly getting injured he just went with it, rolled thru, and popped back up like no biggie. Veteran move.
June 12th, 2021 at 1:21 pm
Duane,
Wirfs was the 4th tackle taken in the first 13 picks.
June 12th, 2021 at 1:45 pm
Wirfs is one of the few Tackles in the NFL who can play both tackle positions and dominate.
June 12th, 2021 at 2:10 pm
Too cool.
June 12th, 2021 at 2:25 pm
Finally we got the guy I wanted! Calvin Johnson, Adrian Peterson, etc. i actually went streaking around the neighborhood with Aqib Talib pick in my younger days. I’m just glad we got that one right with regards to Wirfs. This Joe was happy to see Wirfs perform so well last year. Homeboy was a stud!
June 12th, 2021 at 2:39 pm
Love it!
June 12th, 2021 at 2:55 pm
BradyBucs…Godwin caught that ball in the playoffs didn’t he. Him and Brady are gonna go off this year.
June 12th, 2021 at 3:04 pm
I caught it Doosh
June 12th, 2021 at 3:07 pm
Agreed with all.. it’s funny it’s one of the few times many of the “mock drafts” got it right. Many had wirfs falling to bucs… Why none of the other teams took him is beyond me.. many had him as probably the best OL pick. Definitely lucky he fell!
June 12th, 2021 at 4:39 pm
I remember well the AFC playoffs in Denver when Brady got mauled by the Bronco defense. The Pats were limping in to the game with injuries. Brady got hammered the whole game. Get DEPTH on the O line. Everything else is secondary.
June 12th, 2021 at 4:44 pm
Can you imagine being a kid from Iowa and told “oh, you have to protect the GOAT and never let him get touched” then turning the season into a Super Bowl victory? Wirfs has to be living in a dream world for OLs.
June 12th, 2021 at 5:10 pm
David Says:
June 12th, 2021 at 11:10 am
He is a beast!
I remember after several weeks of the season there were many on here calling for the heads of Arians, Bowles, BL. They were also talking about how horrible the O line is and how horrible the DBs are.
Patience! Follow Brady’s lead and this team is on the verge of creating history
I agree I remember many times last season calling for Patience. Alot of fans way way overreact to one game. But that’s what fans do. Honestly in my 20s I used to scream and yell and cuss out the t.v. Call coaches idiots blah blah blah. At that time was the late 90s and early 2000 so we had a very good team.
June 12th, 2021 at 5:30 pm
Wirfs may very well go down as the best player Jason Licht ever drafted. He is an impressive young man and the fact Medicated Pete routinely drove by his hometown when he was a “fat trucker” and never saw him out drunk driving, what higher compliment could there be?
June 12th, 2021 at 6:26 pm
SB
👍🏻
June 12th, 2021 at 10:08 pm
Pete you didn’t see him drunk cuz you were probably medicated at the time!🤣