Tristan Wirfs Reflects On Tom Brady Retiring
February 5th, 2023
Tristan Wirfs explains.
So yesterday Joe was at the Raiders’ oversized Roomba in Las Vegas for Pro Bowl media availability. Most of the Fourth Estate there was penned up like chickens in a coop hoping a player or players would feel sorry enough to walk by and answer a couple of questions.
The Bucs’ lone player in today’s games (?) is right tackle Tristan Wirfs. Joe was able to squeeze in three questions with Wirfs.
Of course, Joe had to ask Wirfs the obligatory question about Tom Brady retiring. Joe had asked him if Brady was dropping any hints before the season ended that this was it.
“Not really during the season,” Wirfs said. “There was a bunch of talk this offseason, ‘Oh, he’s going to go somewhere else.’ I didn’t think he was going to go somewhere [else].
“I always thought that either he was going to come back [with the Bucs] or he was retiring.”
Joe had heard through the grapevine that Brady, after the loss to the Cowboys to end the season, sought out various Bucs stars from the 2020 Super Bowl team and and Brady offered a long, heartfelt chat with each one individually. And the players interpreted it as a goodbye.
So when Wirfs told Joe “not really during the season,” Joe wondered if Wirfs also had one of those one-on-ones with Brady the day after the Cowboys loss.
Like all Bucs fans, Wirfs hates to see Brady go.
“I’m happy for him,” Wirfs said with a big smile. “I will miss him.”
February 5th, 2023 at 8:08 am
I’m sure he learned a few things from the GOAT.
February 5th, 2023 at 8:20 am
Wirfs is now the Bucs best player.
February 5th, 2023 at 8:25 am
This is the man that will lead this team into the new Bucs era. Like everyone has mentioned, tough decisions will be made this year. There is a young core here that does have potential to learn from solid vets.
I think Bucs most definitely need to resign Dean, tell Devin White that he has one year to truly show his worth or he will kick rocks next year. Try to resign LVD to one more contract in hopes of A) keeping him a Buc for life as he deserves B) Finding the next defensive leader
Offensively, I think the line will be much better next year. Licht has proven time and time again that thats his bread and butter. I think Goedeke comes around, as Cappa did a few years ago. This year as a full starter will do miracles for Hainseys game as well as Leverett. Jensen will be back as the Badass leader he is, and Wirfs will always be Wirfs. Draft a left tackle, give Donnie Smith the same talk as White while you train your next tackle in the wings. RB you cut Fournette, draft a running mate for R.White and receivers you run it back with the same crew as this year with a new scheme not created by a 4 year old. At QB, I think both Bowles and Licht can find compromise. I think you go for a bridge guy and draft Hooker.
The season might be a long one, and we may lose some guys to gain draft capital along the way, at the deadline (I think Godwin or Shaq Mason) but the studs of the house (no pun intented) are already present for the future. We get Bowles for one more year than I think phase two of the rebuild is to get a coach that will take the draft capital and young players and form an excellent squad, just like Arians did in 2019
February 5th, 2023 at 8:32 am
Joe loves Tom Brady more than us because Tom Brady made Joe so much more money 😂 😂
February 5th, 2023 at 8:34 am
In 3 short years this kid has become one of my favorite Bucs. Not just that he balls out on every snap, he seems to be a genuinely great young man. Dude sure loves Brady. He lights up every time he’s asked about what it’s like playing with Brady. Not surprising considering how Brady treats his teammates, even the rookies.
I hope Wirfs is a Buc 4 life. He’ll be a leader by example and set the tone the way Jensen does (only maybe not as nasty…but who is? Lol). Year 4 coming up and this kid will keep getting better. That’s scary!
February 5th, 2023 at 8:34 am
He is going to have to hang with his blocks longer next year
February 5th, 2023 at 8:36 am
Wirfs is one of the best a keeper. We should get rid of all the old pro’s and get draft picks. Gabby and Trask and add Hooker. Extra 2nd and 3rd rounders are golden.
February 5th, 2023 at 8:43 am
Welp Ne fan boi you’re going to have to find another grown man’s nizzutts to gurgle with bandwagon boi
February 5th, 2023 at 9:06 am
@Jack Clark. Bucs fans should love Brady like Joe. Well any diehard fans should love Brady. This team was in the abyss before he came. Let’s not forget after the lost decade he helped bring a SB to this franchise in his first year, during a time where he had zero offseason. He also helped bring three straight division titles. He more than held up his end of his bargain.
Those of you so-called Bucs fans who want to pretend that this franchise still doesn’t have the worse winning percentage in NFL history can kick rocks. You can try to pretend like this organization didn’t have a losing mentality, but I won’t. Fans that are totally dismissing Brady’s contribution to this franchise are delusional and have a great deal of unearned entitlement. So, yeah, Bucs fans should miss Brady
February 5th, 2023 at 9:27 am
Bucsfan13 Says:
February 5th, 2023 at 9:06 am
@Jack Clark. Bucs fans should love Brady like Joe. Well any diehard fans should love Brady. This team was in the abyss before he came. Let’s not forget after the lost decade he helped bring a SB to this franchise in his first year, during a time where he had zero offseason. He also helped bring three straight division titles. He more than held up his end of his bargain.
Haha I love Tom Brady too, he’s my favorite quarterback. I was just teasing Joe because he keeps posting Tom Brady articles for clickbait to put more cash in his wallet.
February 5th, 2023 at 9:36 am
Tristan Wirfs has the athleticism , length , and intelligence to be a GREAT LT , and there are not many great LT’s. Switch Wirfs to LT and put Goedeke back at RT where he belongs and see if he can make it at this level or not , Bucs cannot afford another draft like last year.
February 5th, 2023 at 10:15 am
@Since1976,
Agreed, though would like to see us draft an early to mid-round OT to compete with Goedeke. Worse case scenario is Goedeke becomes a decent backup and hopefully our OT’s are set for the next five+ years after Wirfs is signed to an extension. Would MUCH rather give the money we’d pay Smith in ’23 to Wirfs and have a rookie & Goedeke battle for the RT spot.
February 5th, 2023 at 10:52 am
How many drafts picks can we get for him ?
Rebuild like a BOSS
February 5th, 2023 at 10:57 am
Grandpa, apparently Jeff’s work for you. Pickle smootcher.
February 5th, 2023 at 11:01 am
Brady is gone, we should all be thankful but let it go. Holding on to yesterday’s success is a losing battle. No need to be peeling the scab every day it won’t heal without time moving forward not looking back.
February 5th, 2023 at 11:27 am
Wirfs will win another Super Bowl with the Bucs
February 5th, 2023 at 11:30 am
Kind of weird around here.
Normally players like to play what they are most comfortable at and are better at.
Dude is a top two right tackle, BETTER MOVE HIM TO LEFT BECAUSE THAT POSITION IS MORE IMPORTANT.
Also, hasn’t played left tackle since high school.
February 5th, 2023 at 11:43 am
Wirfs played a few games at LT at Iowa, so it’s not like he’s incapable. Much rather have him protecting our QB’s blindside and let Goedeke and Co. battle it out for the RT spot. Making the move asap gives him more time to get accustomed to the position prior to the start of the season.
February 5th, 2023 at 11:45 am
Some Bucs fans come across as if they are “Danny from Quincy”.
They hate TB-12.
February 5th, 2023 at 11:46 am
Oversized Roomba. Brilliant. Got a good laugh out of that.
February 5th, 2023 at 11:48 am
TampaBayBucsFanSince1976 Says:
February 5th, 2023 at 9:36 am
Tristan Wirfs has the athleticism , length , and intelligence to be a GREAT LT , and there are not many great LT’s. Switch Wirfs to LT and put Goedeke back at RT where he belongs and see if he can make it at this level or not , Bucs cannot afford another draft like last year.
^^^^^^^^
I agree with you about Wirfs to LT, but Goedeke and Hainsey (RT’s in college) were moved inside for a reason, relatively short arms (both under 33 inches). Believe me, it’s easier to get past an OT with short arms, in most cases.
February 5th, 2023 at 11:55 am
“Arm length is essential at some positions, the obvious one being offensive line. It’s especially important for offensive tackles, who use long arms to steer pass rushers from their angle of attack. Some teams won’t use a lineman at offensive tackle if his arm length is less than 34 inches.”
February 5th, 2023 at 12:13 pm
SB lv you are joking right?
February 5th, 2023 at 12:14 pm
Why would people think Wirfs would not want to transition left? At the level he would be at it’s another 4-5 million. What? You think his agent hasn’t mentioned it 4 million times already?
February 5th, 2023 at 1:08 pm
Yes LV, trade everybody good for draft picks, because draft picks ALWAYS work out. 🙄
February 5th, 2023 at 1:55 pm
Familiarity with technique and rote memory of footwork required play a huge role in achieving success on the Oline and Goedeke has those things aplenty at RT as he played there his whole college career. Goedeke was a reach coming out of a small school and may just not be good enough to start in the league , but at least give him his best shot at success which I believe is playing RT.
February 5th, 2023 at 2:12 pm
80 For Brady **SPOILER ALERT**
I saw the movie last night and it was bittersweet. I’d give it a “B” because of the football content but it was a little too woke for me with the girl power message. Anyway, at the end Brady is teasing about retirement but concluded with (paraphrased); why retire when I can still play?
As I lose interest in the Bucs next season I will miss Wirfs and Evans. Instead of moving Wirfs to LT why not just get a left handed QB?
February 5th, 2023 at 7:22 pm
80 for Brady included Hanoi Jane! What a time to be alive.