Tristan Wirfs Declares Himself “Pain-Free”
September 25th, 2025
Left tackle Tristan Wirfs.
Bucs left tackle Tristan Wirfs may or may not play Sunday against the Eagles. But he’s close to getting on the field of play.
Yesterday, Bucs coach Todd Bowles hinted that he won’t know about Wirfs’ availability until Sunday, when the Bucs face the Super Bowl-champion Eagles in a very important benchmark game for two of the better teams in the NFC.
Bowles said he would have to see how Wirfs is moving Friday and Saturday (and Joe assumes, also in pregame warmups) before making a decision on Wirfs.
Wirfs is getting close, though. How can Joe tell? Wirfs said this afternoon at One Buc Palace that for the first time in a long time his knee is “pain-free.”
Wirfs had July knee surgery on an injury that he played through last season. That surgery also knocked him out of all offseason workouts.
To hear Wirfs briefly discuss his injury, it sounds as if he was struggling before going under the knife.
“Frustrated about the timing,” Wirfs said. “I’m really glad it got fixed. It’s crazy now being pain-free.”
Before his surgery, Wirfs said he had trouble doing ordinary things around the house.
“For the entire offseason I couldn’t go up a stairs,” Wirfs said. “‘This sucks.’ To feel like how I feel now, it’s awesome.”
Wirfs was in a buoyant mood. Then again, he is usually is, so Joe isn’t sure if Wirfs’ smiling face is any sort of tell.
Joe does know just after Week 1, Wirfs spoke with JoeBucsFan.com columnist Ira Kaufman about his return. Wirfs told Ira that Week 4 against the Eagles was a the goal.
If somehow Wirfs can’t play Sunday, the good news is he’s not far away from taking the field.
September 25th, 2025 at 3:44 pm
Hope you can return soon, big man!
September 25th, 2025 at 3:45 pm
He’s playing, now who’s playing right guard ?
September 25th, 2025 at 3:50 pm
With the 3-0 start I do wonder if the team is better off just sacrificing this game and giving guys another week to recover. Being 3-1 isn’t a bad start to the season.
September 25th, 2025 at 4:05 pm
Nah man, can’t sacrifice a conference game. Especially to the Cheating Eagles. If we were at full strength, we could legit push for the 1 seed. We’re getting it done absolutely decimated by injuries. Take no game for granted.
September 25th, 2025 at 4:10 pm
This is the closest thing to a playoff game. Whomever wins this game has a two-game lead over the other for potentially the #1 seed and automatically advancing to the divisional round of the playoffs.
September 25th, 2025 at 4:10 pm
Thank God TW is almost back!
I think Feeney at RG, because of his experience!
September 25th, 2025 at 4:11 pm
Gotta love Bucs Medical. Expecting an issue with the other knee will be discovered in January, and they’ll wait until early August to do surgery on it.
September 25th, 2025 at 4:12 pm
I’ve tried to stifle the excitement about Godwin and Wirfs returning. As the hush hush has got me worried they weren’t doing well. But now it feels like this has been the plan the past 3 months and that they would both be ready to roll by the Eagles game. If they can both just be 80% of themselves it will be a huge boost.
September 25th, 2025 at 4:12 pm
If he felt that bad, why did he wait?
September 25th, 2025 at 4:15 pm
4-0!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
September 25th, 2025 at 4:33 pm
So happy for Tristan. Sounds like it was rough. He is young and to be in that much pain had to be brutal. Glad he is feeling so much better. Bowles is being careful about his timeline to be back, which isn’t a bad thing. I would love to see him play Sunday, but understand if he isn’t.
September 25th, 2025 at 4:57 pm
Right on Tristan! Right on Joe! Go Bucs! Beat Birds!
September 25th, 2025 at 4:59 pm
Joe please get us an update on Jalen McMillan as well thankyou
September 25th, 2025 at 5:12 pm
Generally, I not agree with Aqualung or those folks who blame every injury on the staff.
But this clearly seems like a miss by both Tristen Wirfs and the Bucs on not discovering the extent of the injury earlier. However, that being said — we are humans and not every injury manifests itself the same way.
So, I am skeptical on the Bucs and Wirfs on this issue, but more likely I am wrong on blaming those folks.
September 25th, 2025 at 5:15 pm
Congrats Tristan as we really need you.
September 25th, 2025 at 5:20 pm
Tristan and godwin are playing….real fans know what’s up…plus dimers had Chris godwins betting props up
September 25th, 2025 at 5:36 pm
Couldn’t get up the stairs and they didn’t do anything sooner? Criminal.
September 25th, 2025 at 5:39 pm
SWEET!!!!
September 25th, 2025 at 5:43 pm
Last I heard, McMillan won’t be back until right after the bye.
September 25th, 2025 at 5:45 pm
I applaud your humidity Geno711… that’s a worthy and holy attribute.
September 25th, 2025 at 5:45 pm
Lol… *humility
September 25th, 2025 at 6:26 pm
I am thinking Elijah Klein is playing at RG. He is now listed as the starter on the Bucs’ depth chart anyway.
September 25th, 2025 at 6:34 pm
Tristan sounded happy and excited in his press conference today.
I hope we see him on Sunday. We could certainly use him.
My only concern is this is going to be a Battle Royale against a tough, good team in 100+ degree heat.
Will he be up for playing an entire game in those kinds of conditions after not taking a game snap since January?
As crazy as it sounds, I’d like to see us ease him back into the game strictly at LT. Not have him play every snap.
That would mean Ben and Graham bouncing between C, LG, and LT when Tristan
wasn’t in.
That could also spell disaster for us and a loss.
I think I’d rather take the loss and limit his snap count, than take a chance on him reinjuring his knee and being out a lot longer.
September 25th, 2025 at 7:12 pm
He’s had enough time to get all the way back to 100%. What they could do is just ask him how he’s doing conditioning-wise every quarter or something. I’m sure they are already planning something like that…
September 25th, 2025 at 7:28 pm
Vanessa Anne: take it from a fellow female long time Bucs fanatic. If All- World LT Wirfs says he’s ready, plus add in my man, CG14, this will be a dawg fight!! Especially if the refs start throwing their crap like last week. The eaglets and NFL better tell those striped bozos to back off. Man, am I getting psyched!! You, heyjude, and I will be their loudest cheering squad. 🙂 Go Bucs!!
September 25th, 2025 at 8:07 pm
If he couldnt go up stairs all offseason, why didnt he have surgery in february? Glad hes back. Hope he feels better than ever.
September 25th, 2025 at 8:47 pm
Matt Says:
September 25th, 2025 at 8:07 pm
If he couldnt go up stairs all offseason, why didnt he have surgery in february? Glad hes back. Hope he feels better than ever.
You would think that by March that a decision would be made if the natural healing hadn’t progressed enough. Tough call but does seem like a misstep.
September 25th, 2025 at 9:49 pm
Whoever is right guard Sunday will likely be there all year. I am hoping it is Klein.
September 26th, 2025 at 1:36 am
Love to hear this from Wirfs so why doesn’t Godwin speak up?
September 26th, 2025 at 3:32 am
Pain free and ready to roll are two different things. Just as in shape is not the same as football shape. Hope he is ready to roll Sunday.
Go Bucs!
September 26th, 2025 at 4:45 am
@orlbucfan
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂