Bucs left tackle Tristan Wirfs and Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson have quite a bit in common. Both are former first-round draft picks, both are multi-time All-Pros and Pro Bowlers and both are Super Bowl champions. Plus, they’re both among the absolute best at their positions.

But the commonalities between Wirfs and Johnson go beyond their elite play on the field. Both players have spoken out about mental health struggles they’ve battled through, with Johnson being something of a trailblazer on mental health awareness in the NFL. The 2013 first-round pick stepped away from the Eagles back in 2021 to take care of his mental health before making a triumphant return and sharing an important message regarding his depression and anxiety.

“If you’re reading this and struggling, please know that you are not alone” might feel like a common sentiment that is used pretty frequently, but for it to come from a professional athlete – much less of the best offensive tackles in the NFL – it’s fair to say it has a significant impact. And it’s something that clearly resonated with Tristan Wirfs, who was in his second year with the Bucs back in 2021.

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

Fast forward to 2023, and Wirfs himself spoke out on the mental struggles he dealt with when making the transition from right tackle to left tackle. After coming into the league as a right tackle and playing at an elite level there from 2020-2022, Wirfs was asked to switch to the left side of the line after the release of longtime Tampa Bay left tackle Donovan Smith.

During training camp in 2023, Wirfs spoke about meeting with a psychologist to address his worries about making the switch from right tackle to left tackle. At that time, he referenced Lane Johnson’s ability to be outspoken about his mental health battle helping him be more vocal about his own struggles.

“I think it is huge,” Wirfs said. “Somebody that is at the forefront of mental health is Lane Johnson. He is very outgoing about that and very supportive of that. I was very reserved in talking about how I was feeling. I am still trying to get better at it. It seems so minuscule like, ‘Oh, you are just flipping side.’ But I was having breakdowns about it.

“I decided I cannot sit here with these thoughts anymore. I was setting myself up for failure. I would just think about, ‘I am going to suck.’ Or like, ‘I am not going to be able to do it.’ for all day long. So being able to talk to Dr. Joe [Carella] and just get those thoughts out of your head. Just being able to say them helps tremendously, just getting them out of your own head.”

Tristan Wirfs: Lane Johnson “Paved The Way” With Mental Health Advocacy

In a recent appearance on The Pivot Podcast with Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder, Tristan Wirfs spoke more about the transition he made from right tackle to left tackle, including everything he went through mentally. In doing so, he once again credited Lane Johnson for “paving the way” to feel comfortable speaking out about anxiety within the NFL.

Eagles RT Lane Johnson Photo by: USA Today

“I’ve watched Lane [Johnson], Trent [Williams], Laremy Tunsil. A guy that I watched a lot was Brian O’Neill for the Vikings. Jake Matthews… There’s all these tackles I’ve seen,” Wirfs said. “Lane was big on mental health as well, so as a young player seeing him advocate for that was really nice. Being able to feel comfortable to be like ‘Yeah, I was struggling. I was going through some shit.’ People say, ‘It’s just moving from tackle to tackle,’ it’s like, I’ve got thousands and thousands of reps on the right side doing one thing over and over again. I don’t have to think about it.

“I could go back to the right side and I’d probably get worked – I haven’t done it in a while – but it would feel natural. Because that’s my natural side. So, being able to come out and be like, ‘Yeah, I was struggling’… Lane kind of paved the way for that, mental health (wise). I tell people all the time, it’s like wiping your ass with your other hand. Or, another one people can relate to is using a mouse with your left hand. Like, if you’re sitting at a desk all day, use your mouse in your left hand. It’s crazy.”

As everyone is now well aware, Wirfs made the transition appear pretty flawless. He weathered the storm during the adjustment during 2023 and set himself up to become the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history before the 2024 season. Then, Wirfs went on to have an All-Pro campaign, which made him the first player in league history to earn All-Pro honors at both right and left tackle.

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

It almost feels like there isn’t enough appreciation from the wider football world that Wirfs not only persevered both physically and mentally through the trials that came with moving positions but did so while maintaining his elite level of play and continuing to serve as one of the Bucs’ franchise cornerstones. If anything, there is only more expectation piled on.

Of course, the accolades and contract are rewards for the 26-year-old. But at the same time, the battle rolls on, as the contract and expectations that come with it can create more pressure for him to fight through.

“That’s a big thing, too, feeling like you’ve got to live up to that,” Wirfs said. “They put this much into me, they have this much confidence in me, trust in me, now I’ve got to go do it. To circle back to Dr. Joe Carella, he’s like ‘Nobody’s worth that much money. All these athletes around the NFL, NBA, nobody’s worth that much money.

“But you are because that’s what the market is. That’s what everything is, that’s how we get paid. So it’s like, getting over that fear of not living up to that. It’s like, just go play. He’s like, ‘You got that because of what you’ve done already. Now keep doing it. Go have fun. Keep doing what you do.'”

It’s not a stretch to expect Tristan Wirfs to keep doing what he does into 2025 and beyond. But now that Lane Johnson has captured a second Super Bowl, maybe Wirfs can follow in his footsteps on that front as well and earn ring No. 2 with Tampa Bay.