Ndamukong Suh And Tristan Wirfs Talk About Their Fight
July 1st, 2021
The trenches can be a very angry, testosterone-fueled place.
Per Bucs Super Bowl defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, he’s “a big dog on campus” at One Buc Palace and sometimes that means biting young pups.
The story comes from the latest edition of In The Current, the Hard Knocks-style production that lives at Buccaneers.com.
Suh and Wirfs locked horns at training camp last year. Suh called it “a little bit of a tussle.” Wirfs called it “a fight.”
Tristan Wirfs: He was lined up like head-up on me. And I kind of set down on me and he just kept trying to cross my face, so I just went to wash my him down, I guess he didn’t like that. I remember we kind of like tied up a little bit, and next thing I know he ripped my helmet off.
Ndamukong Suh: He made a move to me and kind of pushed me. And obviously I’m a little bit of a big dog on campus, so I went back at him and grabbed him and was like, ‘I’m not the one to do that with.’ It was a good interaction because it got to make us a little bit closer. I kind of opened up our relationship.”
The storytelling was set up by Suh talking on the bench to fellow defensive linemen Vita Vea and Patrick O’Connor in midseason about how Wirfs needs to get nastier.
“If Tristan can become a &!#*head, he would be great,” Suh said. ” … Way too nice. Like he needs somebody to like choke him out and then just turn [him mean].”
Then Vea replied to Suh with a recollection of their training camp fight that didn’t make Wirfs mean.
Of course, the moral of the story is that nice-guy Wirfs went on to be second-team All-Pro at right tackle, and the second-best label might have been unfair. Bucco Bruce Arians said Wirfs not making the Pro Bowl was a travesty.
Plenty of nice-guy players have had legendary careers. Wirfs has dealt with the too-nice label in college and rightfully wrote it off as ridiculous.
July 1st, 2021 at 2:41 pm
This! 1,000,000%!
This is why Suh is a HOF and GMC was a nice player. Suh is a dog and a baller. GMC was not a dog.
July 1st, 2021 at 2:47 pm
This is the most loveable team ever. Please enjoy this season
July 1st, 2021 at 3:17 pm
Nice juicy tidbits of trench warfare. Love it.
July 1st, 2021 at 3:24 pm
Suh better watch it. Wirfs is in better shape, has more wind, and is a State Champion Wrestler, in Iowa no less.
July 1st, 2021 at 3:34 pm
Thank God we didn’t have McCoy playing patty cake with him in camp.
July 1st, 2021 at 3:36 pm
McCoy would have given Wifs a pat on the back and treated him to soft serve with sprinkles……And theres your difference.
July 1st, 2021 at 3:37 pm
Guys, Wirfs would be a stud even if GMC was on the team
July 1st, 2021 at 3:43 pm
Suh’s quote is one of the funniest things I’ve heard lol. In other words…
Suh: “ I feel like Wirfs and I became a little closer after I attempted to rip his head off in practice one day.”
July 1st, 2021 at 3:58 pm
Lee Roy Selmon was a nice guy.
July 1st, 2021 at 4:12 pm
I understand where Suh is coming from, but Wirfs doesnt need to be in that headspace when hes making plays on the field. This kid plays smart and under control. He also kept a bunch of nasty guys away from the GOAT. Still an entertaining story because Suh has a very underrated sense of humor that he doesnt show to a lot of people. Really glad the big man on campus feels comfortable here.
July 1st, 2021 at 4:12 pm
Merlin Olsen was a nice guy who was still a great player. I don’t mind if Wirfs puts guys down with a smile on his face, as long as they stay down.
July 1st, 2021 at 4:14 pm
Extra note- Wifs is also literally a big stick carrier.
July 1st, 2021 at 4:18 pm
Leroy Selmon was a nice guy and our 1st HOFer.
July 1st, 2021 at 4:21 pm
It’s Lee Roy.
July 1st, 2021 at 4:24 pm
JimmyJack has the post of the day! Well said.
July 1st, 2021 at 4:29 pm
LOL, nothing wrong with being nice, as long as you let the Dog out. Remember Ed “Deacon” Jones ?
He used to sack QB’s, and then Pray for them.
We were very very fortunate that Wirfs fell to us.
July 1st, 2021 at 5:40 pm
Wouldn’t want Suh pissed at me. That look alone might make you crap your pants.
July 1st, 2021 at 6:21 pm
That’s David Deacon Jones not Ed Too Tall Jones. Sorry I was a big LA Rams fan back then. All BUCS now !
July 1st, 2021 at 6:25 pm
That’s David Deacon Jones not Ed Too Tall Jones. Sorry I was a big LA Rams fan back then. All BUCS now !
July 1st, 2021 at 6:27 pm
That’s David Deacon Jones not Ed Too Tall Jones. I was a RAmS fan back then. All Bucs now !
July 1st, 2021 at 6:38 pm
I just watched ‘18 game Miami vs NE on NFLNetwork and Suh was dominating the game. Had Tom on the run, sacking him and making him throw the ball away all game.
July 1st, 2021 at 6:56 pm
Old dog teaching the new dog tricks
The blend of youth and veterans on the roster is quite impressive
Wirfs is absolute gold, won’t be surprised if he is the LT after Smith’s deal expires – could the ND kid be the new RT long term? Let him
Train at C and G also to be injury insurance for now
July 1st, 2021 at 7:22 pm
First of all…that In The Current show is the gift that continues to give…it’s great. I was excited for Hard Knocks back in the day…and the key takeaways were that Winny was a weirdo talking about peeing near his porch, Baker was a cancerous tree hump in’ tumor, Fitzy liked ping pong and McCoy liked dresses/robes and dolls ( no really! ) As a homer…I once tried to claim McCoy was as good as Suh…lying to myself then and look even sillier now for ever suggesting it. Suh is a stud who has become a complete player and person.
July 1st, 2021 at 7:44 pm
the making of the GOAT right tackle, fun read, it doesn’t come easy no matter how blessed you may be
love Suh, he has a reputation to maintain, so much better than GMC ever could be or was
July 1st, 2021 at 7:49 pm
Soft-serve with sprinkles LOL.
If McCoy was here he would teach Wirfs not to be so concerned about winning and just to enjoy the game win or lose, right?
Picture McCoy and Wirfs having a deep conversation over soft serve and in walks Suh who smacks the soft serve into the dirt and then grabs Wirfs by the arm and pulls him away. McCoy shakes his head and tries to clean off his soft serve cone
July 1st, 2021 at 7:49 pm
Suh has the look of a guy that would crack your skull in an empty locker room, shove your limp body into a dirty utility closet then go out and play ball and go home to his kids with no regrets
need a Suh jersey this season
July 1st, 2021 at 9:11 pm
Just Dominate the player you line up against.
Just like in a fight, when one guy gives everything they got and the other guy is not fazed just starts to smile, that is intimidating, and then smiling guy proceeds to knock the crap out of the guy that gave everything they had.
Whether you smile or have a bad look on your face I really don’t care, simply Dominate and make the guy hate having to play you.
Reminds me of Former Bucs RT Kenyata Walker, Julius Peppers would just Dominate Kenyata, I am sure many posters here remember how Kenyata would get his azz kicked everytime he lined up against Peppers. Kenyata and the Bucs O line hated seeing Peppers, not because he was some nasty guy, but because he was going to dominate the Bucs O Line every time they played Carolina
You can have a smile or a nasty look, whatever, just kick the crap out of the guy you line up against.
Here is a thought, maybe Wirfs and Suh have a “Jump out of the pool contest” lol, Wirfs would be laughing his azz off helping the Old Dog out of the pool. lol
July 1st, 2021 at 10:37 pm
And his command of words is stellar. The young players should follow his lead.
July 2nd, 2021 at 2:55 am
Great interaction but SUH is wrong, like a lot of fans here. Not every player has to have a nasty mean mentality. There are Hall of Famer’s who are as nice as can be. People sitting at home in their couches think that’s how everyone has to play. Simply not the case. Suh needs to play nasty. Wirfs doesn’t and his rookie year speaks for itself
July 2nd, 2021 at 7:04 am
I think if Wirfs can take some $h@t from Suh, from their tussle and still not let him get in his head, that is the ultimate test for Wirfs playing in the NFL. If you can take it from me and be ok you’re gonna do just fine kind of test. I like it.
July 2nd, 2021 at 8:37 am
I would be fine with Wirfs being the offensive version of LeeRoy.
July 2nd, 2021 at 10:14 am
Another great article Joe.
July 2nd, 2021 at 10:55 am
I love Suh. He is a bad mother f’er. That is the way I like my d tackles.
July 2nd, 2021 at 3:52 pm
Shu keep doing what you do. We do not need a lot of nonsense, I know that boys will be boys. Let play nice
July 2nd, 2021 at 9:03 pm
Suh says am not the one 😂😂