Tristan Wirfs
{{Short description|American football player (born 1999)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Tristan Wirfs
| image = Tristan Wirfs (50832403298) (cropped).jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Wirfs with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021
| current_team = Tampa Bay Buccaneers
| number = 78
| position = Offensive tackle
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|1|24}}
| birth_place = Mount Vernon, Iowa, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 5
| weight_lb = 320
| high_school = Mount Vernon (IA)
| college = Iowa (2017–2019)
| draftyear = 2020
| draftround = 1
| draftpick = 13
| pastteams =
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers ({{NFL Year|2020}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
- Super Bowl champion (LV)
- 2× First-team All-Pro (2021, 2024)
- Second-team All-Pro (2022)
- 4× Pro Bowl (2021–2024)
- PFWA All-Rookie Team (2020)
- First-team All-American (2019)
- Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year (2019)
- First-team All-Big Ten (2019)
| statleague = NFL
| statseason = 2024
| statweek =
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 79
| statlabel2 = Games started
| statvalue2 = 79
| pfr = W/WirfTr00
}}
Tristan Wirfs (born January 24, 1999) is an American professional football offensive tackle for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes, and was selected in the first round by Tampa Bay in the 2020 NFL draft. He has been selected to four consecutive Pro Bowls.
Early life
Wirfs played high school football at Mount Vernon High School, where he also excelled in wrestling and track and field.{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Jeff |date=November 16, 2018 |title=Tristan Wirfs grew up smiling, and Mount Vernon smiled back |url=https://www.thegazette.com/subject/sports/hawkeyes/iowa-football/tristan-wirfs-iowa-offensive-line-smile-mount-vernon-hometown-family-20181116 |access-date=May 11, 2019 |website=The Gazette}} He won the state discus throw as a sophomore, and Iowa State and Iowa Hawkeyes both offered Wirfs scholarships within the next month.{{Cite web |last=Southard |first=Dargan |date=April 27, 2017 |title=Throwing success underlines Tristan Wirfs' athletic dominance |url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/high-school/2017/04/27/throwing-success-underlines-tristan-wirfs-athletic-dominance/306975001/ |access-date=May 11, 2019 |website=Des Moines Register}} He committed to Iowa in winter of his junior year in December 2015,{{Cite web |last=Southard |first=Dargan |date=October 11, 2018 |title=Iowa football: Barely a year into starting, Tristan Wirfs gaining steam on Hawkeyes' offensive line |url=https://www.hawkcentral.com/story/sports/college/iowa/football/2018/10/11/iowa-football-tristan-wirfs-quickly-gaining-steam-hawkeyes-offensive-line/1600667002/ |access-date=May 11, 2019 |website=Hawk Central}} and was a four-star recruit.{{Cite web |last=Dochterman |first=Scott |date=April 14, 2019 |title=Tristan Wirfs, remarkable strength and breaking Iowa's unbreakable record |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/922045/2019/04/14/iowa-offensive-tackle-tristan-wirfs-hang-clean-record-spring-football/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 24, 2020 |website=The Athletic}} During his senior year of high school, Wirfs helped Mount Vernon to a state semifinal appearance in football, was named an Army All-American for football, won a state wrestling title in winter after cutting 30 pounds, and won the discus for the third straight year and shot put for the second straight year in spring at the Iowa state track-and-field championship meet. He was honored by the Des Moines Register as the best boys prep athlete in the state.{{Cite web |last=Southard |first=Dragan |date=June 24, 2017 |title=Mount Vernon's Tristan Wirfs dominant from start to finish |url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/high-school/all-iowa/2017/06/25/mount-vernons-tristan-wirfs-dominant-start-finish/415142001/ |access-date=May 11, 2019 |website=Des Moines Register}}
College career
As a true freshman, Wirfs started seven games at right tackle,{{Cite web |last=Rittenberg |first=Adam |date=July 31, 2018 |title=Iowa O-lineman Tristan Wirfs second Hawkeye suspended for Northern Illinois game |url=http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/24244714/tristan-wirfs-iowa-hawkeyes-suspended-season-opener-dwi-arrest |access-date=May 11, 2019 |website=ESPN}} becoming the first true freshman to start at offensive tackle in the Kirk Ferentz era.{{Cite web |last=Feldman |first=Bruce |date=July 12, 2019 |title=Bruce Feldman's 2019 college football Freaks List |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/1065937/2019/07/12/bruce-feldmans-freaks-list-2019-college-football-top-athletic-performances/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=January 24, 2020 |website=The Athletic}} Through the season, he worked on being more aggressive against defenders.{{Cite web |last=Morehouse |first=Marc |date=August 20, 2018 |title=Iowa offensive line: Tristan Wirfs is not afraid to throw down |url=https://www.thegazette.com/subject/sports/hawkeyes/iowa-football/offensive-line-iowa-football-2018-depth-chart-starters-preview-20180821 |access-date=May 11, 2019 |website=The Gazette}}
Before his sophomore season, Wirfs was suspended for the season-opening game against Northern Illinois for an OWI arrest in late July.
After his sophomore season, Wirfs broke the Hawkeyes hang clean record held by Brandon Scherff, setting the new mark at 450 pounds. He also said a focus of his junior season would be to translate his weight room exploits to the field.{{Cite web |last=Batterson |first=Steve |date=April 11, 2019 |title=Tristan Wirfs' success for Iowa football stems from the weight room |url=https://siouxcityjournal.com/sports/college/tristan-wirfs-success-for-iowa-football-stems-from-the-weight/article_426f8ac4-883a-54e0-a509-e711b97e89cf.html |access-date=May 11, 2019 |website=Sioux City Journal}} An injury during spring practice caused Wirfs to miss a few weeks of practice.{{Cite web |last=Morehouse |first=Marc |date=April 26, 2019 |title=Iowa's Big A.J. and Little A.J. locked in the eternal 'steel sharpens steel' struggle |url=https://www.thegazette.com/subject/sports/hawkeyes/iowa-football/aj-epenesa-alaric-jackson-iowa-spring-football-final-practice-20190426 |access-date=June 1, 2019 |website=The Gazette}} Following his junior season where he was selected to the First Team All-Big Ten Conference and named the conference lineman of the year, Wirfs announced that he would forgo his final season and enter the 2020 NFL draft.{{Cite web |date=January 15, 2020 |title=Iowa OT Tristan Wirfs, likely 1st-rounder, entering NFL draft |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/28489716/iowa-ot-tristan-wirfs-likely-1st-rounder-entering-nfl-draft |access-date=January 15, 2020 |website=ESPN.com}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 4 7/8
| weight = 320
| dash = 4.85
| ten split = 1.69
| twenty split = 2.80
| shuttle = 4.68
| cone drill = 7.65
| vertical = 36.5
| broad ft = 10
| broad in = 1
| bench = 24
| arm span = 34
| hand span = 10 1/4
| wonderlic = 23
| note = All values from NFL Combine{{Cite web |title=Tristan Wirfs Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/tristan-wirfs/32005749-5237-0129-a756-9a5ceb881ea0 |access-date=July 8, 2020 |website=NFL.com}}{{Cite web |title=2020 NFL Draft Scout Tristan Wirfs College Football Profile |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1022066&DraftYear=2020 |access-date=December 27, 2023 |website=DraftScout.com}}
}}
Wirfs was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round with the 13th overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft.{{Cite web |last=Owens |first=Jason |date=April 23, 2020 |title=Bucs trade up with 49ers for No. 13 pick, select Iowa OT Tristan Wirfs |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/report-bucs-trade-up-with-49-ers-for-no-13-pick-in-1st-deal-of-draft-015156269.html |access-date=April 23, 2020 |website=Yahoo! Sports}} As a rookie, Wirfs started all 16 games in the 2020 season, playing at right tackle, only allowing 1 sack to Khalil Mack of the Chicago Bears in Week 5.{{Cite web |title=Tristan Wirfs 2020 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WirfTr00/gamelog/2020/ |access-date=March 12, 2021 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Russini |first=Dianna |last2=Holder |first2=Larry |title=Bucs' Tristan Wirfs becomes highest-paid OL in NFL history with new deal: Sources |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5674352/2024/08/01/tristan-wirfs-buccaneers-contract/ |access-date=August 8, 2024 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} Wirfs played and started all four games in the Buccaneers' playoff run that resulted in the team winning Super Bowl LV.{{Cite web |last=Patra |first=Kevin |date=February 7, 2017 |title=What we learned from Buccaneers win over Chiefs in Super Bowl LV |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/what-we-learned-from-buccaneers-win-over-chiefs-in-super-bowl-lv |access-date=March 11, 2021 |website=NFL.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl LV – Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Kansas City Chiefs – February 7th, 2021 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202102070tam.htm |access-date=March 11, 2021 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}} He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.{{Cite web |title=2020 NFL All-Rookie Team |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/nfl-all-rookie-2020.htm |access-date=July 27, 2024 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}} He was ranked 89th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2021.{{Cite web |title=2021 NFL Top 100 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/2021-nfl-top-100.htm |access-date=June 2, 2023 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}
Wirfs started all 17 games for the Buccaneers in 2021, before suffering an ankle injury in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs that kept him out the remainder of the season.{{Cite web |last=Dajani |first=Jordan |date=January 16, 2022 |title=Buccaneers Pro Bowler Tristan Wirfs exits playoff game vs. Eagles twice due to ankle injury |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/buccaneers-pro-bowler-tristan-wirfs-exits-playoff-game-vs-eagles-twice-due-to-ankle-injury/ |access-date=June 2, 2023 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Tristan Wirfs 2021 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WirfTr00/gamelog/2021/ |access-date=June 2, 2023 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}} After another strong year performance wise, Wirfs was named to his first career Pro Bowl and garnered a first-team All-Pro selection.{{Cite web |title=2021 NFL Pro Bowlers |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2021/probowl.htm |access-date=June 2, 2023 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=2021 NFL All-Pros |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2021/allpro.htm |access-date=June 2, 2023 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}} He was ranked 41st by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2022.{{Cite web |title=2022 NFL Top 100 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/2022-nfl-top-100.htm |access-date=June 2, 2023 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}
Wirfs started 13 out of 17 games for the Buccaneers in 2022.{{Cite web |title=Tristan Wirfs 2022 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WirfTr00/gamelog/2022/ |access-date=June 2, 2023 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}} He missed three games after suffering an ankle injury and was inactive for the team's final regular season game as it did not impact playoff seeding.{{Cite web |last=Knight |first=Joey |date=November 28, 2022 |title=Tristan Wirfs' injury not as serious as feared |url=https://www.tampabay.com/sports/bucs/2022/11/28/tristan-wirfs-injury-not-serious-feared-report-says/ |access-date=June 2, 2023 |website=Tampa Bay Times |language=en}} Wirfs was named to his second career Pro Bowl and the All-Pro second team.{{Cite web |title=2022 NFL Pro Bowlers |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2022/probowl.htm |access-date=June 2, 2023 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=2022 NFL All-Pros |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2022/allpro.htm |access-date=June 2, 2023 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}} He was ranked 98th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2023.{{Cite web |title=2023 NFL Top 100 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/2023-nfl-top-100.htm |access-date=September 9, 2023 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}
On April 26, 2023, the Buccaneers picked up the fifth-year option of Wirfs' contract.{{cite web|url=https://www.buccaneers.com/news/bucs-pick-up-tristan-wirfs-fifth-year-option|work=Buccaneers.com|title=Bucs Pick up Tristan Wirfs' Fifth-Year Option|date=April 26, 2023|accessdate=November 16, 2023|first=Scott|last=Smith}} In the 2023 season, Wirfs started all 17 regular season games and both of the Buccaneers' postseason games—switching to left tackle for the first time.{{Cite web |title=Tristan Wirfs 2023 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WirfTr00/gamelog/2023/ |access-date=July 6, 2024 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}
On August 1, 2024, Wirfs and the Buccaneers agreed to a five–year, $140.63 million contract extension, a deal that made him the highest paid offensive lineman in NFL history.{{cite web | last=Patra | first=Kevin | title=Buccaneers signing OT Tristan Wirfs to five-year, $140 million extension | website=NFL.com | date=August 1, 2024 | url=https://www.nfl.com/news/buccaneers-tristan-wirfs-five-year-140-million-extension | access-date=October 5, 2024}} Wirfs started 16 out of 17 games in 2024, he was injured mid way through the Buccaneers Week 10 game against San Francisco and missed one game.{{Cite web |title=Source: Buccaneers' Tristan Wirfs believed to have sprained MCL |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/42311103/source-buccaneers-tristan-wirfs-believed-sprained-mcl |access-date=January 10, 2025 |website=ESPN |language=en}} He was named for a second time as first-team All-Pro for 2024. He became the first player in NFL history to be named as first-team All-Pro in both right tackle and left tackle position.{{Cite web |title=Buccaneers' LT Tristan Wirf's son Julius reveals All-Pro honor |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/43361456/tampa-bay-buccaneers-tristan-wirfs-all-pro-son-reveals |access-date=January 10, 2025 |website=ESPN |language=en}}
=Regular season statistics=
| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2"| Legend |
| style="background:#ff0; width:3em;"|
| First Team All-Pro |
| style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"|
| Second Team All-Pro |
| style="background:#afe6ba; width:3em;"|
| Won the Super Bowl |
| style="background:#e0cef2; width:3em;"|
| No type penalty |
| Bold
| Career high |
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" | ||||||||
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team ! colspan="2"| Games ! colspan="8"| Offense | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Snaps | Pct | Holding | False start | Decl/Pen | Acpt/Pen | |
| 2020 | style="background:#afe6ba; width:3em;"|TB
| 16 || 16 || 1,073 || 100% || 2 || 2 || 0 || 4 | |||||||
| style="background:#ff0; width:3em;"|2021 | TB
| 17 || 17 || 1,183 || 100% || 1 || 2 || 1 || 3 | |||||||
| style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"|2022 | TB
| 13 || 13 || 930 || 100% || 1 || 1 || 0 || 3 | |||||||
| 2023 | TB
| 17 || 17 || 1,100 || 100% || style="background:#e0cef2; width:3em;"|0 || 5 || 0 || 5 | |||||||
| style="background:#ff0; width:3em;"|2024 | TB
| 16 || 16 || 1,016 || 94% || 2 || 4 || 1 || 6 | |||||||
| colspan="2"| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WirfTr00.htm Career] | 79 | 79 | 5,302 | 98.9% | 6 | 14 | 2 | 21 |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons}}
- [https://www.buccaneers.com/team/players-roster/tristan-wirfs/ Tampa Bay Buccaneers bio]
- [https://hawkeyesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=13397 Iowa Hawkeyes bio]
- {{twitter|tristanwirfs74}}
{{Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster navbox}}
{{2020 NFL Draft}}
{{BuccaneersFirstPick}}
{{Buccaneers2020DraftPicks}}
{{Super Bowl LV}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wirfs, Tristan}}
Category:All-American college football players
Category:American football offensive tackles
Category:Iowa Hawkeyes football players
Category:People from Mount Vernon, Iowa
Category:Sportspeople from Linn County, Iowa
Category:Players of American football from Iowa