Was Tristan Wirfs Pointing A Finger At Antonio Brown And/Or Devin White?
April 17th, 2023
Antonio Brown
Odd comment today from Tristan Wirfs, especially consdering the Bucs won 13 games in 2021 and were seconds from the NFC Championship game during that postseason.
Wirfs, the Bucs’ All-Pro right(?) tackle, was fielding questions from assembled Bucs media. The team opened its voluntary offseason conditioning program this morning.
Asked whether the Bucs’ winning culture of the past few seasons will continue, Wirfs said the Super Bowl win sort of divided the roster.
“Winning the Super Bowl was kind of like a blessing and a curse at the same time,” Wirfs said. “I feel like it united some groups of people or some guys, and it kind of made individuals. I feel like it does that everywhere.
“So we want everyone to be together and everyone to be like, ‘Yeah, we’ve done this. We did that with this group of people in this year; that’s in the past. We’re here now, but we know what it takes.”
Wirfs continued, saying he wants no more “individuals” on the Bucs. “Everyone with one goal, one collective in mind working for the same thing.”
Joe’s quick reactions to Wirfs comments included that Wirfs was no fan of seeing Antonio Brown lose his mind and go all me-first during the 2021 season. Also, Wirfs might not have appreciated whatever was going on with phony vaccine cards that led to former safety Mike Edwards and Brown getting suspended that season.
And Joe also thought it’s a safe bet that Wirfs believes the current Devin White trade demand is rooted somewhere in the Super Bowl aftermath and the hype that came with it.
Lastly, Joe does not think Wirfs was referring to former Bucs left tackle and fan punching bag Donovan Smith. Wirfs has detailed what a great mentor Smith was to him and, if fans recall, Smith had his best season in the year following the Super Bowl.
April 17th, 2023 at 2:24 pm
Wirfs undoubtedly couldn’t have missed all the drama that the G-Hag put Brady through and subsequent Brady distractions. Unfortunately Bloweszo is endothermic and not the kind who has ever unified a winning culture as a head coach. Sure, he could do it in 2023. There’s also a finite probability that the universe ends any second now in a quantum “big rip.” Anything is possible.
April 17th, 2023 at 2:25 pm
Brown somehow was able to keep it together in 2020 but by the 21 season he had lost it again. Glad he helped, glad he’s now gone.
April 17th, 2023 at 2:29 pm
I’m thinking you’re right about AB and DW! There probably was a couple more guys too. Who?
April 17th, 2023 at 2:30 pm
A lot of players and coaches have talked about this now. It’s definitely a problem and maybe the lesson here is that not everyone has to come back every time
April 17th, 2023 at 2:32 pm
Wirfs is great
April 17th, 2023 at 2:36 pm
The flaw in the argument about 2021 being the fault of “bringing everyone back” is, the Bucs had their best regular season. Ever. 13-4.
Demolished the hot Eagles in the playoffs.
Executed a furious and heroic, historic comeback against the Rams. And then Bloweszo emerged in the spotlight and humped the horse at the most critical time of the game. A trend that continued as he was gifted the head coiching job, without a FAIR COMPETITION for the job when BA retired.
If Bloweszo hadn’t gone all Simple Jack in the last 40 seconds, the Bucs very well might have had the back to back Lombardi trophies they wanted.
And now we’re stuck with him at least until 3-9.
April 17th, 2023 at 2:40 pm
Neither D White nor his agent have said anything publicly.
Apparently, after 2-3 weeks of negotiations in March, White and the Bucs could not agree on extension terms, so White is disappointed and the “trade demand” is a way to lash out verbally at the Bucs.
The Bucs aren’t going to trade White because they know he will play great this year in search of a big contract…and White will be motivated for the same reason.
April 17th, 2023 at 2:49 pm
Fans need to get used to the new NFL. Trade demands will be more common. The stud safety from AZ just requested a trade, and I bet the Cards will accommodate him. Last year, FA was crazy. So many unexpected trades. Folks, get used to the new NFL reality. The players think they possess the same type of leverage as the NBA players.
April 17th, 2023 at 2:52 pm
I would bet hes referring to White. I mean Antonio Brown had always been an individual out for himself.
April 17th, 2023 at 2:52 pm
I hope your fortune-telling is right on, Alan.
April 17th, 2023 at 2:56 pm
Yup I think you are right bucsfan13 it’s becoming more and more the diva football league which is kinda disappointing to see.
April 17th, 2023 at 3:02 pm
He is talking about Devin. Let’s try to get a 3rd round pick and a sack of nickels for him, sign a cheap free agent replacement, and grab ILB in the draft. I think Cam Jones from Indiana could be a 6th round steal.
April 17th, 2023 at 3:30 pm
Wirfs isn’t a finger pointer. He just was talking reality.
April 17th, 2023 at 3:33 pm
Goat farmer – love the tropic thunder simple Jack reference. Ahhh I miss outrageously offensive comedies. Altho Danny McBride has put out some good shi on HBO with vice principals and righteous gemstones. Anyway….agree on 2021 but I think injuries did us in more than Bowles with AB walking off the field sealed the inevitable that it wasn’t gnna be our yr, which is a shame considering they were likely a better team in 2021 than 2020
April 17th, 2023 at 3:41 pm
Glad to see Wirfs taking on more of a leadership role w/ the team. No more Brady, Marpet, DSmith, Gronk, (hurt Jensen) etc. He sees the gap and is making it known that this year’s team needs to be together. I like it.
April 17th, 2023 at 3:41 pm
THE REAL STORY HERE
Wirfs is talking like a leader. It’s the type of talk you want from your team’s leaders. He’s calling out a lot guys. Guys who bought into Super Bowl Champ hype. Devin White, 4Net, and AB jump out to me but there are more.
The saying goes, “Nothing fails like success.” It’s real.
April 17th, 2023 at 3:59 pm
That is the best way to sum up Devin White. He’s a ME guy, not a team guy. Was talking last year in some interview about maybe wanting to play for the Saints but “I’m here right now”. AB was straight nuts. DW is just dumb and selfish.
April 17th, 2023 at 4:14 pm
Maybe he was talking about Brady? he was the biggest distraction of them all. (well worth it)
April 17th, 2023 at 4:21 pm
Lol , redeemer your post is awesome!
FOR THOSE WONDERING, VACCINE-RELATED COMMENTARY HAS BEEN DELETED. JOE DOESN’T RUN A POLITICAL WEBSITE, AND HAS NO DESIRE TO. SO JOE DOESN’T WANT TO CONFUSE BUCS FANS WHO COME HERE THINKING COMMENTS ARE ABOUT THE TEAM AND FOOTBALL. JOE THANKS YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND PATRONAGE.–JOE
April 17th, 2023 at 4:26 pm
@Dewey. He didn’t say anything about distractions. He spoke specifically about individualistic behavior, and we know Brady is far from that type of person. I also agree with Joe when he says “distractions” are overrated. Lenny had a habit of pouting when he didn’t get the ball. That’s being individualistic. Players were living off the SB and lacked the mental fortitude to play through adversity.
April 17th, 2023 at 4:30 pm
I can’t remember which game it was, Devin White had a roughing the quarterback call that basically lost the game for us. It made me think about how he was bragging about how many quarterback hits he had
April 17th, 2023 at 4:34 pm
Good job cleaning up all that useless drivel Joe, for a second there I could’ve sworn Dr.Wenk gave off a look of disapproval lol
April 17th, 2023 at 4:37 pm
D White has always been about the $$$. He even said so before the draft that year. I would have never drafted him with that greed on open display and drafting him #5 was way too high in the first place! I don’t think he’s gonna ball out for the bucs this year as he will stay “disgruntled”. I hope he can get traded for multiple picks. At least AB actually outperformed his contract before he went all NUTZO!!!!
April 17th, 2023 at 4:46 pm
Doubt he means AB and leaning more toward players like White, Davis, Jones, SMB current players that thought they were superstars once they got their ring. AB has already been to the show, he was a head case before he got to Tampa and no player was surprised he went off. He could be referring to coaches as well. Let’s face it BA’s head got a bit larger after the 2020 season.
April 17th, 2023 at 4:47 pm
Remember when Bowles said some guys were still riding the superbowl? Starting to believe he was taking about white
April 17th, 2023 at 5:38 pm
My viewpoint on BA tends to be different.
His overall record at many different levels of the sport both in the Pros and college was superb.
I refuse to believe that an NFL team can win a superbowl and follow it up the next year at 14-6 and someone just randomly discounts BA as having too big a head.
Sorry seems like an unsophisticated take.
April 17th, 2023 at 5:47 pm
Joe. Next time ask him what he meant instead of all of this speculation.
April 17th, 2023 at 5:54 pm
Now this is leadership:
FOR THOSE WONDERING, VACCINE-RELATED COMMENTARY HAS BEEN DELETED. JOE DOESN’T RUN A POLITICAL WEBSITE, AND HAS NO DESIRE TO. SO JOE DOESN’T WANT TO CONFUSE BUCS FANS WHO COME HERE THINKING COMMENTS ARE ABOUT THE TEAM AND FOOTBALL. JOE THANKS YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND PATRONAGE.–JOE
April 17th, 2023 at 6:02 pm
Wait, my commie post went too, Joe? I said I was just kidding. I’m very hurt by that, very.
INSERT RANT HERE.
April 17th, 2023 at 6:02 pm
We know EXACTLY who he’s talking about. Why would he be talking about AB? AB has been gone. White is the one headache left on the roster.
April 17th, 2023 at 6:10 pm
I love these people that create their own narratives, which have no relationship to reality.
White has never done anything except come to work, become and all-pro and help the team win a SB. But because some idiot on Twitter posts some clip out of context, all these easily manipulated dopes decide they now hate White, and not only do they hate him, they now know he’s a cancer and is rotting the team.
LOL!
Dopes.
April 17th, 2023 at 6:11 pm
With what Wirfs said if the shoe fits wear it. Devin White thought he arrived when we won the Super Bowl. Since then he has been waiting for his coronation. He is playing like he is satisfied with who he is as a player. But if you ain’t getting better your getting worse and he’s damn sure getting worse. However he is still young enough to rekindle that fire that he had before we won the Super Bowl, just not with the Bucs. They need to facilitate a trade and get something for him. If not, if he even plays he will play out the year and be gone.
April 17th, 2023 at 6:21 pm
Do any of you dummies talking about White even understand the basics about how an NFL locker room works? Why would Wirfs be talking about White? Exceptionally low IQs in here.
April 17th, 2023 at 6:23 pm
Goat farmer is spot on. Bowles shat the bed on the blitz call at the end of the Rams playoff game. Further, Bowles cannot and doesn’t know how to handle rogue players. DW needs to be shipped out no matter the message.
April 17th, 2023 at 6:28 pm
The Bucs will either sign him to a long term contract or trade him before the trade deadline.
The franchise tag for a LB is close to 20 million or so and the Bucs won’t go that route.
April 17th, 2023 at 6:39 pm
Rod have you ever been in a team locker room? One bad attitude or one guy that thinks he’s the shats is a virus. We have all seen White pack it in last season, he beats to his own drum and admittedly said he can get bored in 4th quarters. Since the SB he has been all about himself. I don’t doubt he’s a team player but his #1 priority is himself, same for Davis. They win a SB and their shat don’t stink. White needs to stop reading social media and start watching film, then he can determine his value.
April 17th, 2023 at 6:45 pm
Fournette
April 17th, 2023 at 6:56 pm
Rod I’ve been in NFL locker rooms. Why WOULDNT he be talking about White?
April 17th, 2023 at 7:01 pm
I don’t know if Licht would trade White but I hope hes not bull headed enough not to at least listen to offers if there is any.
April 17th, 2023 at 7:11 pm
Post-Super Bowl malaise is very real. Ask the Seahawks, ask Rich Sherman. (Canales knows.) When your culture is not immensely strong and led well (and no, Seattle did a poor job), players lose interest, feel cocky and bored, and dissension takes hold. Arians and Bowles failed to lead. A couple of bad apples like Antonio adds further dissension, and a championship caliber team, even with Tom Brady trying to push guys to make more of an effort, fails to repeat.
Championship game vs. Rams? Lack of discipline directly caused by an overall failure of attitude.
This is old news but something that I think we will know more about as time moves on (and someone actually does some journalistic investigation of the Bucs locker room of that period).
Bowles taking over only made the culture even weaker. Leadership, vision, inspiration, unifying non-existent under Bowles, while even veterans like Mike Evans mentally check out, guys on defense freelance and lose focus, etc. etc.
I’m glad to see finger pointing, frankly. The more accountability the better.
April 17th, 2023 at 8:14 pm
ModHairKen Says:
April 17th, 2023 at 5:54 pm
Now this is leadership:
FOR THOSE WONDERING, VACCINE-RELATED COMMENTARY HAS BEEN DELETED. JOE DOESN’T RUN A POLITICAL WEBSITE, AND HAS NO DESIRE TO. SO JOE DOESN’T WANT TO CONFUSE BUCS FANS WHO COME HERE THINKING COMMENTS ARE ABOUT THE TEAM AND FOOTBALL. JOE THANKS YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND PATRONAGE
No that is Joe posturing so there is no way he can be ‘Cancelled’
The world is going to He!! in a handbasket these days
Cancel Culture has more power now than the First Amendment.
There is no First Amendment on a privately held website. Hopefully, there never will be. Joe’s software deletes 1,000s of spam comments daily. Is that a violation of Free Speech? Joe also scrubs comments that maliciously attack the host and others. And Joe rejects many words. Joe isn’t concerned about cancelling. But Joe is very much into presenting the product Joe wants to present (for readers and for advertisers), rather than what you’re looking for. Thankfully, our laws still say this is Joe’s show. –Joe
April 17th, 2023 at 8:20 pm
Good for Wirfs!
That should give the team a real shot in the arm that helps more than it hurts.
Go Bucs!
April 17th, 2023 at 8:38 pm
Make Wirfs a captain
April 17th, 2023 at 9:25 pm
Wirfs comments give me hope for the upcoming season.
April 17th, 2023 at 9:49 pm
Lakeland gets it.
April 17th, 2023 at 10:29 pm
“One for all, and all for one”. It’s so hard to maintain that sort of unselfish spirit on an NFL team. One bad actor can ruin it all for a team. That’s why I’m not a big fan of incentive-laden contracts with regular season yardage, catches, TDs, etc. The main incentive is an SB win, or depth in the playoffs. The Bucs gotta move on from all the AB and DW stuff. The truth might come out in a Brady book or Arians book. The 2023 season is looming. Think positive. Go Bucs!
April 17th, 2023 at 10:47 pm
Joe – many of us get it. Thanks for cleaning up the sewer.
April 17th, 2023 at 10:47 pm
This guy is good but he is such a good guy too.
April 18th, 2023 at 12:03 am
I get it now. Wirfs is fingering Trask! That’s it! The source of the Trask Suppression Conspiracy is Trask himself!
Because he wants to be a martyr for all future QB busts, like Ryan Meaf, Manziel, Russell – it’s Trask sewing the discontent!
A new counter conspiracy to consider.
April 18th, 2023 at 12:50 am
I love Wirfs – give him a lifetime deal he will be one of the all time greats if he stays healthy
April 18th, 2023 at 1:54 am
Wirfs is the O version of Leroy Selmon.
April 18th, 2023 at 3:57 am
If Wirfs is turning in to a vocal and honest leader for this team that is a strong plus and does more to establish a culture than any of the Rah Rah stuff already reported. Put a big ole C on his chest…Devons!
April 18th, 2023 at 4:05 am
Our Legends Brooks and Sapp would have stuffed him in his own locker and went off to practice!
April 18th, 2023 at 6:16 am
i just really like the way wirfs is growing into a team leader
April 18th, 2023 at 6:39 am
Pelsbuc61- NO. Hard no. Blaming an entire game on that one play is stupid. (Ahhlll dooo respect) Shouldn’t have even come down to that. The Bucs offense never got going until the 4th quarter. And they had no gawd damn receivers.l or Wirfs. They were never winning the Super Bowl with a depleted roster, and they were lucky as hell to even be in that game. Yes the cover zero, and having a safety one on one with Cooper Kupp was hilariously bad but frankly the Bucs were playing with house money at that point and I believe Bowles didn’t want to go to OT and was trying to get a sack and/or force a turnover in rams territory.
April 18th, 2023 at 6:44 am
Hey Munch, You sound like Patrick Mahomes wife when defending Devin White. Wise up
April 18th, 2023 at 8:18 am
Seems very obvious it’s a general statement and AB is the prime example
April 18th, 2023 at 8:44 am
SB Says:
“The world is going to He!! in a handbasket these days
Cancel Culture has more power now than the First Amendment.”
.
.
This place used to be wide open until the evil goo gal started running the show. Thats the simple truth.
God help us all!
April 18th, 2023 at 9:58 am
Joe,
The ” vaccine related commentary ” is Antonio Brown is a locker room virus for which there is no cure, and Devin White may be starting another.
April 18th, 2023 at 12:12 pm
Devin seems to be the individual he might be be referring to I remember when Chris asked him on the plane why did he say what he said about Jameis and he was nonchalant about it also The head coach brought it up about guys still flying high off the SB when we were losing games this yr I think we should trade DW to the Cards along with our 1st and 3rd this yr and 2nd or 3rd rd pick next yr and we should take Will Anderson with the 3rd pick
April 19th, 2023 at 12:50 pm
Wirfs wasn’t pointing a finger but maybe he is giving the finger to a fellow ” defensive captain ” who puts himself ahead of the team. It would be one thing if he was a free agent, but white is on the contract this year in the contract that he signed.