“I Thought I Pooped The Bed … With Tampa At The Combine”
February 14th, 2025
Fun draft stories from Bucs All-Pro left tackle.
It’s always neat to look back at the draft process of some players. And Bucs All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs offered up a couple of fun anecdotes about his.
The stories of how former Bucs tight end foot-rubbing Rob Gronkowski should have never been drafted by New England are famous. He did almost everything wrong in his interview in their building but punch a coach.
The funniest of the stories included then-New England offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien sticking Gronk in a room. O’Brien told him to break down tape and give him a report when he returned. When O’Brien returned, Gronk was curled up on the floor sound sleep.
Wirfs, speaking with Ari Meirov of The33rdTeam, didn’t have quite as crazy of a story, but it’s good.
Wirfs actually thought there was no way the Bucs would draft him. Though he didn’t offer specifics, Wirfs said he blew chunks in his meeting with the Bucs at the combine. Later while on a Zoom call with the Bucs, he was late.
In other words, Wirfs was convinced he didn’t make a good impression. How wrong he was.
“I didn’t think I was going to Tampa,” Wirfs said. “I thought I pooped the bed in the interview with Tampa at the combine. And then they were actually my first [Zoom call].
“The pre-draft interviews after the combine normally they’re in person, but it was COVID. We’re all on Zoom. They’re my first Zoom meeting. I’ve never used Zoom before.
“I was like two or three minutes late because I couldn’t figure out how to get logged on. I was like, ‘I blew it. They hate me.'”
Then came draft night and Wirfs found out the opposite was true: The Bucs loved him. Enough to trade up to get him.
“I was ecstatic after that,” Wirfs said. “I was excited to get down there.”
Meirov asked Wirfs if being the fourth tackle selected motivated him to have such a strong rookie season, as if to show the rest of the NFL they made a mistake passing on him.
After a long pause to think, Wirfs said, “Maybe. Maybe a little bit.”
What did motivate Wirfs, he said, was knowing he would have to block for Tom Brady.
“You know, when [the Bucs] called me on draft night, they’re like, ‘You ready to protect Tom Brady?’ And I was like, ‘I’ll get ready.’ That was kind of on top of my mind.”
And Wirfs came out and played like he was a five-year veteran.
The Bucs, and all Bucs fans, knew right off the bat when he stonewalled Cam Jordan in Week 1, that Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht discovered the Hope Diamond, very likely the best offensive lineman in Bucs franchise history.
February 14th, 2025 at 12:03 am
I love Gruber and he should be in the HOF but Tristan is better.
February 14th, 2025 at 12:29 am
Gruber in the Hall of Fame? Not even close. Perhaps you mean Ring of Honor. That’s more like it. Very good tackle. On very bad teams. Nowhere near the recognition he should have gotten. But…. Also nowhere near hof.
February 14th, 2025 at 12:40 am
From RT to LT the transition is not easy
He never missed a beat
February 14th, 2025 at 12:43 am
Gruber was very good. Tristan is better!
February 14th, 2025 at 12:55 am
I remember pushing for him, then seeing him jump out of the pool sealed it. Mr. Lynch did his old team a solid in letting us trade up one spot for him.
February 14th, 2025 at 1:18 am
Gotta love Wirffs!
Candid, Honest, Humble enough to say what he feels. His ego appears to be the right size.
Go Bucs!
February 14th, 2025 at 4:13 am
Seems like he buys his clothes at the same store as Kanye’s girlfriend.
February 14th, 2025 at 4:14 am
Not only is Wirfs one of the best OL in football, his leadership of the room likely has a big affect on the Bucs OL becoming one of the NFL’s best as well. Just hoping he’s here long-term & doesn’t follow Marpet’s lead.
February 14th, 2025 at 6:54 am
Love wirfs, but he was the last elite OL available in that draft. 3 had already gone. At the time, our OL was worse than today’s edge rush. We didn’t have much choice, but I’m glad it all worked out.
February 14th, 2025 at 7:42 am
Who really knows because there was a run on OL before the Bucs picked that year and everyone knew that the Bucs were in dire need of OL talent.
February 14th, 2025 at 8:25 am
The best in franchise history, hell he might end up the best in NFL history. All pro at both tackle spots that is unheard of, how long has the NFL been around ? More than a 100 years that’s how long and no line man has ever done it. Let that sink in for a minute. I’m so grateful that he is on our team he is definitely worth every penny he makes. Now it’s time to draft that all pro edge rusher Jason.
February 14th, 2025 at 8:27 am
Bull moose
February 14th, 2025 at 8:31 am
Reason he fell to fourth of the four highly rated tackles was because he was considered the fourth best by many so-called analysts. If the Bucs had him higher on their draft board than the others, that just shows Licht and Co know o-line talent. He was the best of those four tackles for sure and we’re lucky he fell to us.
February 14th, 2025 at 9:18 am
I live grabber, Lomas, and tge vikings guy but tristan’s tthe best imo. Injuries etc is still left but switching, brady. Etc.
He’s tge best
February 14th, 2025 at 9:36 am
Wirfs and Winfield. What a draft!!! Hopefully we can pull a similar result this year
February 14th, 2025 at 10:00 am
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could find a talent like Wirfs except on the defensive side of the ball. I don’t think that’s happening though. I think football players as talented as him only come around every decade or so. He’s seriously that good. He may be the best player in the league. We’ve got maybe the best player in the game right here in Tampa.
February 14th, 2025 at 10:49 am
<blockquoteI live grabber, Lomas, and tge vikings guy but tristan’s tthe best imo. Injuries etc is still left but switching, brady. Etc.
He’s tge best
Dude, are you having a heart attack?
February 14th, 2025 at 10:49 am
Dude, are you having a heart attack?
(sorry for double post)
February 14th, 2025 at 10:54 am
Get Campbell from Alabama if no edge worth a darn is available. A Swiss Army knife at LB.
February 14th, 2025 at 12:01 pm
FLBoy84
I agree that I wouldn’t like it if TW retired earlier than we all hope but Ali had a really good reason to retire. I’m sure it was a difficult decision and I’m also certain he made the correct call. Wirfs isn’t incurring the conclusions like Ali. Fingers crossed he never does.
Paul Gruber would tell you Wirfs is better. Paul was a solid player, even a pro bowl level player some years. Tristen is a FT all pro and first ballot HOF player if he continues to play at his standard.
February 14th, 2025 at 12:03 pm
Wirfs wouldn’t be the OT he is without the mentorship of Donovan Smith.
February 14th, 2025 at 12:35 pm
Still amazes me that 3 other OTs were take above him.
February 15th, 2025 at 2:52 am
Don’t ever compare Gruber to Wirfs.
Wirfs is the best offensive lineman I’ve ever seen.
He has the strongest foundation I’ve ever seen in an NFL player.
And he can run like a deer.
We should have a play with Wirfs at FB and Vea at RB.
Our version of the “tush push”
February 15th, 2025 at 8:52 am
Jason Licht claims that Wirfs was the target. We rated him first of the four OTs. I see no reason to be skeptical or cynical. I take the claim at face value.
Go Bucs!!