Tristan Wirfs Details How He Learned On The Fly To Flip From Right To Left Tackle
February 11th, 2025
How chopsticks led to All-Pro.
Some offensive linemen can flip sides with no issue. Others won’t even try because of the difficulty.
Former Bucs left tackle Donovan Smith told Joe if he ever tried to move to right tackle it would be a disaster. He said to do that effectively he would have to relearn all his footwork and hand techniques. He firmly believed he couldn’t do it.
When Bucs All-Pro right tackle Tristan Wirfs was moved from right to left tackle two years ago, he had reservations, likely for the same reasons.
“It’s like learning to wipe your ass with your left hand,” Wirfs told Ari Meirov on The33rdTeam last week at the Super Bowl.
Wirfs wasn’t gung-ho about the idea. But he’s a good soldier so he attacked the move, he explained to Meirov.
“I knew, the more reps that I had, you know, the more comfortable I’d feel,” Wirfs said. “So I was like, I’m gonna take my lumps, like, I know it’s not gonna be perfect right away. I gotta keep working, get as many reps as I can.”
Wirfs said the Bucs told him about the move in the spring before OTAs (Joe previously heard the Bucs first tipped off Wirfs off about the move in his 2023 season exit interview.) So Wirfs began working out with Luke Goedeke, training and preparing for change.
“We were just training, training, training,” Wirfs said. “I was like, ‘It’ll click. It’ll feel comfortable. Eventually.'”
One way Wirfs tried to reprogram his brain was to do mundane, everyday stuff left-handed.
“It’s like using a mouse with your left hand, like using chopsticks in your left hand,” Wirfs said.
“I practiced [chopsticks] just so I could get comfortable with it,” Wirfs said. “It’s a big change. It’s huge, you know.”
The more snaps Wirfs got, he figured, the better he would be. And in his second season at left tackle, Wirfs just became the NFL’s All-Pro left tackle, the first in NFL history to be All-Pro at both right and left tackle.
So by eating with chopsticks left-handed, it helped Wirfs make NFL history.
February 11th, 2025 at 9:09 am
All Pro on both sides is ridiculous. the O line this upcoming season should be top 5 in the league.
February 11th, 2025 at 9:29 am
Love this guy. Still can’t believe him and Winfield were rookies during our super bowl run, feels like yesterday now they’re both on their second contracts earning top 5 money.
February 11th, 2025 at 9:33 am
That is awesome. It’s called Mirror Movement Development – a phrase a friend of mine coined in his advanced studies on the subject. He developed MMD as a practice for learning and integrating it into daily life. Some of the world’s greatest geniuses mastered this: Leonardo De Vinci, Benjamin Franklin, and now… Tristan Wirfs. First ever All-Pro right and left tackle. Epic.
February 11th, 2025 at 9:37 am
Not many LT’s would want to flip to RT, that means less money.
February 11th, 2025 at 10:01 am
That man is incredible! It’s not just his athleticism, but his attitude and mindset. It’s thinking, I can do this rather than I won’t be able to do that. And then devoting thought and energy to tackling the problem. Youth, I’m sure, played a part, but he’s one special hombre.
February 11th, 2025 at 10:10 am
Fortunately he kept it private whether he continued to practice wiping with his left hand. LOL
February 11th, 2025 at 10:56 am
I love everything about this story!
And to think how blessed the Bucs are to have AT LEAST 4 high talent AND high character guys like Wirfs, Evans, Mayfield and David! That’s strong foundation.
February 11th, 2025 at 11:08 am
What an amazing player and human. Glad he got bank. Extend him! And given his physiognomy, I’m not sure what he’s eating with chopsticks but it ain’t raw fish!
February 11th, 2025 at 11:28 am
So glad we got him as the 4th tackle. Would love to know JL’s big board from 2020. He’s still so young…
February 11th, 2025 at 11:56 am
See the difference?
Smith… I can’t do this… never an all pro.
Keep in mind, I’m not saying Smith was as athletic as Wirfs or is even comparable. Just pointing out that Wirfs attitude is a big part of it as well.
Smith in his best season next to Marpet with Jensen in the middle, the left side was pretty strong back then.
Paul Gruber was still our second best left tackle historically.
Goedeki reminds me a lot of Gruber… but louder. LOL
February 11th, 2025 at 12:37 pm
Jason Licht has had a lot of home runs in the draft. Wirfs May be the homerun that went over the wall the farthest.
February 11th, 2025 at 1:02 pm
None have accomplished what Wirfs just did, but as you will see, the transition from right tackle to left tackle is far from impossible—it’s been done at a high level before. What sets Wirfs apart is that he didn’t just make the switch; he mastered both sides of the line at an All-Pro level but…
#Repost
LUVMYBUCS Says:
April 1st, 2023 at 6:38 am
Successful Transitions of Pro Bowl & All-Pro Players
From Right Tackle to Left Tackle:
* Orlando Brown Jr. – 4× Pro Bowler | 0× First-Team All-Pro
* Joe Staley – 6× Pro Bowler | 1× First-Team All-Pro
* Tyron Smith – 7× Pro Bowler | 2× First-Team All-Pro
* Jammal Brown – 2× Pro Bowler | 1× First-Team All-Pro
* Jordan Gross – 2× Pro Bowler | 1× First-Team All-Pro
* Willie Roaf – 11× Pro Bowler | 6× First-Team All-Pro
* Bruce Armstrong – 6× Pro Bowler | 1× First-Team All-Pro
From Guard to Left Tackle:
* Jonathan Ogden – 11× Pro Bowler | 4× First-Team All-Pro
* Tarik Glenn – 3× Pro Bowler | 1× First-Team All-Pro
* Laremy Tunsil – 2× Pro Bowler | 0× First-Team All-Pro
* Flozell Adams – 5× Pro Bowler | 0× First-Team All-Pro
* Chris Hinton – 7× Pro Bowler | 0× First-Team All-Pro
* Lincoln Kennedy – 3× Pro Bowler | 0× First-Team All-Pro
Legends Who Thrived Across Multiple Positions
Bruce Matthews – The Ultimate Technician
* Right Guard: 4× Pro Bowler | 4× First-Team All-Pro
* Center: 5× Pro Bowler | 1× First-Team All-Pro
* Left Guard: 6× Pro Bowler | 4× First-Team All-Pro
Hinton – The Versatile Anchor
* Left Guard: 1× Pro Bowler
* Right Guard: 1× First-Team All-Pro
* Left Tackle: 5× Pro Bowler | 2× Second-Team All-Pro
* Right Tackle: 1× Pro Bowler
Back when the game was more rugged, some of the best offensive line coaches routinely cross-trained their players to handle any situation, especially injuries. Versatility wasn’t just valued—it was expected. I guess… “You’re either born a willow or you’re born an oak. That’s all there is to it.”
There was no time for coordinators to run around like their hair was on fire, panicking like the sky was falling. If a guy went down, the next man stepped up—no excuses, no hand-wringing, just football.
February 11th, 2025 at 1:06 pm
Bruce Hinton
February 11th, 2025 at 1:07 pm
Chris Hinton
February 11th, 2025 at 2:04 pm
Got to be careful. As long as he does not start fooling around with that Left-Hand path stuff he’ll be just fine. (note the contraction.) :-/
February 11th, 2025 at 2:07 pm
KABuc — Gruber would have been a HOF candidate if he played for almost anyone else. And if he doesn’t get injured in 1999 before the Rams 11-6 loss, I bet the Bucs are in the SB. Maybe they don’t win it but they’re in it.
February 12th, 2025 at 12:04 am
The average person would practice opening a door or something with non dominant hand..
A gifted guy like Whirfs goes with chopsticks. Of course lol
Good job bud
February 13th, 2025 at 10:45 pm
ive always been impressed with Tristan, and even so he continues to go beyond my expectations
We are very fortunate to have him.
2 of the offensive linemen drafted ahead of him are nowhere near his level now. so that was a great job drafting by jason.