“Touchdown T”
November 30th, 2025
Graham Barton (right) lifts Tristan Wirfs into the air after Wirfs scored his first NFL touchdown on a two-yard catch.
Joe learned a couple of things in the Bucs’ locker room after the shouldn’t-have-been-that-close 20-17 win over the sad sack Cardinals Sunday at The Licht House.
First, Joe learned Tristan Wirfs’ nickname is “T.” Second, Joe learned how popular Wirfs is in the locker room, especially among defensive teammates.
When Wirfs stood at his locker before heading to the showers, talking to four or five members of the local pen and mic club, Lavonte David walked back and forth behind the reporters but in front of Wirfs, hollering, “Touchdown T! … Touchdown T!”
Vita Vea didn’t walk back and forth, but he hung with the media members, saying in a loud voice, “Big man touchdown! … Big man tuddy!”
Sure, the Bucs were giddy surviving a game with the Cardinals. But they were very happy, maybe as much as the win, that Wirfs caught his first touchdown pass with the Bucs.
“You saw how his teammates reacted,” Chris Godwin said with a big smile, remembering Wirfs’ catch.
Late in the first half the Bucs had the ball at the Cardinals-2. Mayfield dropped back and looked right. The entire Arizona defense went that way. As they did, Wirfs snuck out from the scrum and walked toward the end zone and was wide-ass open.
Wirfs caught the ball smoothly and with ease, like he’s a veteran tight end, not a left tackle catching the first pass of his NFL career.
Two weeks ago in a midweek media availability, Wirfs teased reporters that there could be something coming down the pike — a play featuring him with the ball. He wouldn’t say if it was a run or a catch or what it may be other than to suggest something may be up.
Nothing was up.
Joe asked Wirfs if he knew about today’s play two weeks ago when he was talking about a play specifically for him. Wirfs said there was no such play. At least, not until a week later when the play was installed.
This past week, the Bucs practiced that play. It was in the gameplan but no assurance the throw would come. But it did come.
In a game that really should not have been that close. In a three-point game, Joe guesses you could argue without Wirfs’ play, who knows if the Bucs are in second place in the NFC South right now or not.
November 30th, 2025 at 5:15 pm
Nice to get the W! Feels like forever ago!
Two games Vs Panthers with be the true test.
November 30th, 2025 at 5:20 pm
Wirfs has more TD’s than our TE’s combined….
November 30th, 2025 at 5:25 pm
The creativity and diversification of passing to Wirth was a welcome addition to a game where the run game lacked much of the its recent creativity except for what Bucky did with the ball once the called play went nowhere.
November 30th, 2025 at 5:25 pm
Great pic, Joe. Something tells me we may not see Wirfs lifted like that ever again.
November 30th, 2025 at 5:26 pm
Great play call 100%
November 30th, 2025 at 5:28 pm
This team reminds me of the 2002 Super Bowl winning Bucs. Except that an arrogant knotw it all inept defensive coordinator is also the head coach, and the offense is called by a computer scientist buffoon, and the special teams are coached by Mr Magoo only with worse eyesight. Otherwise it’s exactly the same.
November 30th, 2025 at 5:28 pm
CRAZY STAT IN THAT PIC
That was the first time Graham Barton has gotton two hands on another player all season. Barton is sucking in season 2.
November 30th, 2025 at 5:29 pm
Sly, LOL. No one will see my appreciative post but whatever.
November 30th, 2025 at 5:31 pm
I wanna see Big T on a goal line FB dive.
November 30th, 2025 at 5:57 pm
Wirfs was wide ass open for that pass.
November 30th, 2025 at 6:12 pm
Aqualung where have you been? I hadn’t seen you in a couple weeks..I joined the Todd Bowles haters club a couple weeks back. I’m all for his firing.
November 30th, 2025 at 6:15 pm
This really didn’t impress me all that much. Like cool, novel play, but pass the ball to Payne Durham wtf
November 30th, 2025 at 6:16 pm
T caught it better than a couple of our WRs today!
November 30th, 2025 at 6:23 pm
Great play. Happy to see the big man get six!