Haunting Words From Tristan Wirfs
July 13th, 2025
Tristan Wirfs
More than a year ago Tristan Wirfs talked about hanging up his career earlier than some might expect, and the impact on joints when you’re playing weight is 360 pounds.
(Yes, 360 pounds. Don’t believe the weight lies every team knowingly prints on roster lists. Eventually, gambling forces will demand teams to correct these lies/misrepresentations.)
Wirfs’ 2024 trip to the Washed Up Walkons podcast was something Joe chronicled 13 months ago. He acknowledged there how playing double-digit seasons at his size is difficult on joints and, interestingly, Wirfs noted how Todd Bowles talked to the team about ways players leave the game.
Wirfs shared that Bowles explained “very few people get to walk away under their own accord.” The lesson resonated with Wirfs, he said.
Asked how many years he wants to play, the Bucs’ left tackle said he’s unsure. Wirfs acknowledged thinking about how offensive linemen have shorter shelf lives compared to other positions.
“It’s a lot [of weight] to be walking around on your joints on your knees and ankles and everything,” Wirfs said, referring to discussions he’s had with Bucs training staff.
“You gotta make a tough decision one way or the other,” Wirfs added. “When you get up there [in NFL playing years], it’s like, ‘Do I keep playing? Do I want it to end not on my terms, or am I in the place to walk away now and be OK?”
Wirfs also noted he plays about 360 but can drop down to about 352 in the midst of sweltering training camp.
Now in his sixth season following a suprise knee surgery last week, Joe is left wondering if Wirfs’ comments from last year have been unearthed from the back of his mind.
The All-Pro is signed through 2029, his 10th NFL season. Perhaps that’s Wirfs’ football end at 31 years old if not a year sooner.
Joe wouldn’t knock any player choosing to hang it up healthy and wealthy.
July 13th, 2025 at 2:08 pm
Yes the smarter players are leaving early. Like it or not the physical toll the players go through is no joke and credit unfortunately is real. We are all in denial but the truth is the longer you play the more likely the players are to pay the price with poor health
I am sure thus surgery is a wake up call for him.
July 13th, 2025 at 2:27 pm
When the lead story continues to be injuries to sTAR players I wonder how up to stuff your teams medical are.
July 13th, 2025 at 2:28 pm
Well, that’s interesting. Got paid and considering retirement now? I would most def hold it against him.
OL guys retired healthy after long careers every year. Don’t be a pansy.
July 13th, 2025 at 2:29 pm
Wirfs is a smart guy. He’s got all the money he’ll ever need for the rest of his life. I doubt he’ll play much past 30 if he stays that long.
July 13th, 2025 at 2:34 pm
And the guys in the trenches are involved in bone crunching, joint stressing collisions on every play they are in. The big bucks on 2nd and possibly 3rd contracts should be way more than enough for generations to come with some wise investing.
July 13th, 2025 at 2:39 pm
Speaking of retirement did you see that Ndamukong Suh retired? His last game was with the Eagles in their super bowl win. He was instrumental in the box super bowl win and the guy was just a tough, nasty, DT who would do anything to win (including some things that people thought were dirty).
So Joes and Ira, do you think Suh is a Hall of Famer?
I think the 2 late career Super Bowl wins with the bucks and the eagles puts him over the line. What do you think?
He also did a great job of getting Vita Vea in shape last year. I’d love to see him get into a front office job.
The guy is really smart. He talks finance with Warren Buffett.
July 13th, 2025 at 2:55 pm
He was also a witness to how Jensen’s career ended – not on his terms.
July 13th, 2025 at 2:58 pm
Suh was on the eagles couple years ago. His only Super Bowl win was with the Bucs!! Miss that guy. Go Bucs!!!
July 13th, 2025 at 3:08 pm
Hes a freak expect him to play until he’s 34
July 13th, 2025 at 3:23 pm
I’m sure it freaked him out a little in the Summer of ’22 when Ali Marpet retired for health reasons in his prime, then watched Ryan Jensen shred his knee in training camp. I’m sure he may at least consider retiring early.
But I doubt it. He may go down as one of the best offensive tackles in history, up there with Jonathan Ogden, Walter Jones, etc. When you can build a Hall of Fame legacy like that, I think it’d be hard to walk away from.
July 13th, 2025 at 3:23 pm
Suh could STILL play and be productive in a rotational role.
July 13th, 2025 at 3:27 pm
But…..but…..
I thought we had LT locked up for the next 10-15 years?
July 13th, 2025 at 3:29 pm
There is nothing to complain about if just chooses to plays out his contract and retire.
And, there is nothing to complain about if he retires because injuries are causing him to miss games and forcing him onto injured reserve. One mishap in practice ended Jensen’s career.
If his injury is a one off and he walks away healthy before he plays out his contract, that would be a mess, and he might end up owing the Bucs part of what he got paid up front on his prorated signing bonus, so I doubt that will happen.
July 13th, 2025 at 3:48 pm
Marpet did this exact thing. Done at 28. Thanks for giving us something else to worry about Joe 🤣
July 13th, 2025 at 4:04 pm
I still say Marpet retired a couple sessions too early.
Man up!
July 13th, 2025 at 4:06 pm
*seasons
And tbh, it kinda screwed us when Marpet retired.
If these guys are going to retire prematurely, they should give the team a 2-year notice, so we can invest/draft another premier player at their position rather than leave us with our pants down.
July 13th, 2025 at 4:09 pm
We have Wirfs at 360.
And Vea at 350.
Enjoy it guys.
We may never see men of their size and athleticism on the Bucs ever again.
July 13th, 2025 at 4:11 pm
Perennial Browns All Pro LT, Joe Thomas retired after 11 years still at the top of his game. He quickly lost 60 lbs mostly by no longer overeating and swimming. He looks great at 6’6″ 250 lbs. Looks more like a basketball player these days. For his health I would encourage Tristan to talk to Joe Thomas and get out of football no later than age 31.
July 13th, 2025 at 4:34 pm
Here we go again…
July 13th, 2025 at 4:48 pm
Dean should consider it.
July 13th, 2025 at 4:58 pm
Erik with Pilot and Driver … ‘And tbh, it kinda screwed us when Marpet retired.’
Ali Marpet suffered a significant concussion in November 2020 that caused him to miss 3 games. The after-effects though played a big role according to Marpet in helping him make the decision to retire after the 2021 season. Apparently so did the high blood pressure and the sleep apnea he developed carrying all that extra weight.
Yes he retired 2 years early based on the 5-year contract he signed in 2019, but that’s his prerogative. I think it’s cool that Ali proposed to his girlfriend Meaghan immediately after announcing his retirement, lost a ton of weight to get healthier, and is now in the Clinical Psychology program going for his doctorate. Reading a couple articles on what he’s doing now & what his plans are, I’d say that Ali made a great decision.
July 13th, 2025 at 5:29 pm
The Pouncey twins were in Lakeland, looking like fashion models.
They both weigh 225-235, way down from their 330 playing weight
July 13th, 2025 at 5:32 pm
I’ll never ever judge any player that chooses health over a sport.
After all the injuries and CTE stories…the wheelchairs…no one can ever question these guys.
Go bucs! Go Health!
July 13th, 2025 at 5:43 pm
I wish Wirfs a healthy career. I don’t blame Marpet. Both helped us get a second Super Bowl win. Hopefully, we get another one with Wirfs.
I wouldn’t be surprised if get to another Super Bowl soon seeing him retire after that. Good thing we have Licht as GM.
July 13th, 2025 at 6:20 pm
Cmon Bonzai…Pansey? That’s not like you.
A rational decision to save ones health is a bad decision?
So D.R. hit on it. There is a great feature on Ali in today’s fish wrap worth looking up. I envy him, not for his athletic success and Super Bowl, not because he’s a multi millionaire, but because before the age of 30 he “got it” as in figured it out! A beautiful wife and young daughter born during the hurricane mean far more to him than a Lombardi Trophy.
If you read the article Ali didn’t want to hang on giving 90% because he was simply too DEDICATED to WHATEVER he takes on in life. The dude is a stone cold WINNER in EVERY area. He took over 200 calls at the suicide prevention center as part of his pursuit of a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. He was pronounced a natural by his supervisor.
Ali is a 6-4 325lb man, which is a LARGE human being but a tiny NFL OL. He crammed food down his pie hole throughout college did everything he could do and left the NFL playing at 310 which is a GROSSLY UNHEALTHY weight!!! By the age of 28 he had high blood pressure, needed a CPAP to sleep, and other growing conditions. And we’re not talking the “football” danger, concussions, knees etc. just how freaking bad carrying that much weight is. It’s kllling a majority of our society.
He’s paid the price, he did it willingly, knowlingly, and when the cost grew too large he decided enough. What can possibly be wrong or pansey about that?
I guarantee Tristan Wirfs is well aware of Ali’s story!!!! He’s also possibly seen some of the same video I have of players like Jim Otto who couldn’t get out of bed, Jim McMahon who wonders where the hell he is half the time.
Asking these guys to accept the pain is one thing, asking them to accept a LIFE sentence of bad health is too much. Guys like Ali, Brad Culpepper and a few others help offset the sad stories of guys like Scot Brantley a guy who gave it everything he had on every hit…sadly that included too many brain cells.
July 13th, 2025 at 6:21 pm
Oops sorry for the typo currentl TWO 30 not 330.
July 13th, 2025 at 6:50 pm
That would be healthy, wealthy, and WISE
July 13th, 2025 at 7:03 pm
Just like Ali Marpet, on your terms big fella but how about one or two more rings before you walk into the sunset
July 13th, 2025 at 8:36 pm
I agree with the take that unless or until his play slips – it will be hard for Tristan to walk away….
Wirfs is absolutely one of the best and most dominant Offensive Tackles this game has ever seen.
But in order to be mentioned among the best to have ever played a given position – a player typically needs to play and dominate the game for at least 10 years or more….
Wirfs is only half way to that minimum milestone.
This sounds like a discussion to be had in the 2029 off season…..
July 13th, 2025 at 8:48 pm
Let’s not forget he saw all-pro Marpet hang it up young, and then all-pro Jensens career ended in training camp.
July 13th, 2025 at 9:07 pm
Could you be any more dramatics David Kilmer. For every EXTREME scenario like Junior Seau there are a hundred Mark schlereths that are doing just fine, and this ain’t exactly 1994 either. Today’s game is 7 on 7 compared to decades ago with far superior nutrition, recovery, lifting programs. Lots of professions are extremely tough on the body but without access to the kind of resources pro athletes have. He doesn’t ever have to experience corporate America a day in his life. I think he’ll be ok with a bum knee while he’s playing video games in his 5 thousand square foot home
July 13th, 2025 at 9:08 pm
Sounds like he may pull an Ali Marpet and retire early
July 13th, 2025 at 9:55 pm
Gofortheface30, I’ll bet Tristan is a wise steward of his wealth but a 5000 ft. home? Probably has a guest house that big.
July 13th, 2025 at 11:20 pm
someone needs to send wirfs the north dallas 40 dvd to watch over and over during recovery…
and a compilation of dick butkus miller light commercials…
ok no more of this candy azz talk please 🙂
July 13th, 2025 at 11:22 pm
the ghost of ali is looming like an ominous dark cloud over tristan’s head
July 14th, 2025 at 2:01 am
As long as we g
Et max effort from him for 10 yrs cant blame a guy for wanting g a long healthy life. Personally I lost alot of weight & It made mefeel30years younger . Just give the Bucs 100% and the rest will work itself out thanks for all so far GOOOO BUCS!!!!
July 14th, 2025 at 2:10 am
I wouldn’t blame any offensive player for wanting to hang it up after watching 3 years of Todd’s wretched bi-coachal defensive regression lose games that were either won or winnable.
July 14th, 2025 at 9:45 am
Aqualung
I’m actually starting to get entertained by your myopic posts. They are so obsessed as to drag out all your creativity and I’m impressed.
How you could turn a conversation about the health risks of playing football into an insult of Todd is just amazing, if a bit obsessed.
July 14th, 2025 at 10:57 am
Wirfs retiring after his contract expires would be very smart. He is elite and is compensated in accordance with his performance. Retire healthy, go lose 80-100 pounds and enjoy the next phase of adulthood. That seems to be the prescription for these mammoth OL and DL guys in the NFL for long term success.