Bucs left tackle Tristan Wirfs made the Pro Bowl once again in 2025. He and Antoine Winfield Jr. are the two representatives of the Bucs, while Baker Mayfield and Jamel Dean are alternates. It’s the fifth Pro Bowl of Wirfs career, but this one is a little more special considering all that he went through this season.

Wirfs missed the first three games of the year while recovering from offseason knee surgery. He also missed a game against the Saints, making a total of four this year. The All-Pro tackle began the season with crutches, was immediately put in as soon as he was ready to go, and still played at a high level to get the Pro Bowl nod. That’s why it means a lot to him.

“It feels amazing,” Wirfs said. “It’s a goal I have every year, obviously just a personal goal. Getting to just hang out and talk with a bunch of guys around the league that we don’t necessarily get to have conversations with and spend time with during the season, I think it’s a great time, that’s my favorite part.

Bucs RB Sean Tucker and RT Tristan Wirfs – Photo by: USA Today

“This one means a lot just because of all that. I was really skeptical, like will I be able to play like myself? I think these past couple of weeks I’ve felt more like myself than I have all year. So yeah, getting this honor means the world to me. It’s been an up-and-down year, it’s been a frustrating year. A lot of stuff has not gone how I wanted it to injury-wise, but yeah, to keep fighting through and keep battling, all the guys in here have my back and keep pushing me to get better and better, what more can you ask for?”

Tristan Wirfs Opens Up About The Pressure Of Playing At A High Level

Tristan Wirfs already made football history last year as the first player in the NFL to make first team All-Pro at right tackle and left tackle in his career. There’s no doubt that he is a fantastic offensive tackle. We’ve seen it every year he’s been in Tampa.

For as great as he is, though, Wirfs puts a lot of pressure on himself and sometimes has doubts. He was very open and honest when he made the move from right tackle to left tackle  in 2023. He had already established himself as a Super Bowl champion and an All-Pro on the right side, but had to prove himself on the left side. Wirfs passed that with flying colors, and got another All-Pro at left tackle last season.

Bucs G Michael Jordan and LT Tristan Wirfs – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

But this season brought a different kind of doubt. He’s big on getting his reps and working on every technique of his game. As much as he wanted to get back and help the team, it took longer to get those fundamentals to be at his best. Also, he also scored a touchdown this season, adding to his accomplishments and what he can do for the offense.

“I think there’s a combination of everything,” Wirfs said. “Like the injuries I’ve had this year and then missing out on all those reps in training camp. That’s when you get your timing down, your footwork down, your hands, your eyes, your feet, everything. I started practicing and then I think it was the next week I was playing the Eagles. I was rehabbing then they’re like you can start practicing and I was like, ‘Alright, let’s go,’ and then it was on to the Eagles.

“So, just not having all those reps for me mentally was like… just [to] get that comfortability and that confidence back, coming off — I didn’t have a major knee surgery, but was on crutches for six weeks, then basically started playing.

“So yeah, just trying to find my set again during the middle of the season was tough, but the whole line had my back, Graham [Barton] had my back, Ben [Bredeson] had my back, Cody [Mauch], everybody. They mean the world to me, and to get a Pro Bowl this year, I got a little emotional about it this morning because I had those thoughts like, ‘How are you going to be? How’s it going to go? Are you going to be yourself?’ I think everyone does after surgery, but yeah I was excited.”

Bucs LT Tristan Wirfs – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

It takes the best players and athletes to put all the pressure on themselves, but it makes them a better player at high levels. Tristan Wirfs is definitely in that category.