Wirfs Ready To Get To Work With Buccaneers
Every prospect at the NFL Scouting Combine would get a hat and t-shirt from the teams they interviewed with in Indianapolis.
On Wednesday, Tristan Wirfs pulled out the t-shirt given to him by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
He was wearing it again on Friday during a video conference with the media, a day after the Buccaneers picked him with the 13th selection in the first round of the NFL Draft.
His choice of t-shirt was prophetic.
“I just grabbed this out my dresser and started wearing it, this Buccaneers shirt,” the former Iowa offensive tackle said with a laugh. “I have a picture of it, I was wearing it the day before the draft, ‘This is who I’m getting picked by.’”
Wirfs admitted that yes, on Thursday night, when three other offensive tackles went before him, it bothered him a little bit.
Then Tampa Bay traded up one spot to select him, and suddenly he was on a team with the assignment of protecting its new quarterback, Tom Brady.
Welcome to the NFL.
“I couldn’t think of a better scenario, a better situation,” Wirfs said. “Honestly, looking back on it, I wouldn’t want it any other way — getting to block for a Hall of Fame quarterback like Tom Brady in your first year.
“It was different, for sure, seeing those other three tackles go before me. But it was kind of nice — I would almost rather have it like that than ultimately be the first tackle off the board. I’m a competitive person, it was a stinger for a little bit. Being able to go the Bucs, and being in the situation I’m in now, I’d rather have it this way. It stung a little bit, for sure. But it went away pretty quick.”
Wirfs isn’t sure what happens next. He spoke with coach Bruce Arians and general manager Jason Licht on Thursday night, but even that was a little bit hectic during the post-pick celebration.
“It was kind of tough, because I had like a whole clan from (Wirfs’ hometown of) Mount Vernon in my backyard, cars were driving by and honking,” Wirfs said. “They said they would give me a call on Monday, and we’ll talk more about how we’re going to get a playbook here and training equipment and everything like that.”
Wirfs said several times during the video conference that he’s ready to get to Tampa to begin work. But team facilities are shut down indefinitely because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Wirfs can’t even work out in Iowa’s football complex — it, too, is closed. So he’s been working in a privately-owned gym in Iowa City.
“Some things I have to improvise — it’s a CrossFit gym, so they don’t have quite as much stuff as what the Iowa weight room has,” he said. “But it’s been good.”
Wirfs, an All-American who was the Big Ten’s offensive lineman of the year, was disappointed there wouldn’t be the usual draft-night show, set for this year in Las Vegas. So he improvised a red-carpet moment for his mom, Sarah, at her home in Mount Vernon.
The idea came from Alyssa Romano, vice-president of communications at Octagon, the agency that represents Wirfs.
“She was like, ‘Why don’t we try to give her something special for the draft night, since we can’t be in Vegas?’" Wirfs said. "I said, ‘Absolutely.’ She actually ordered the red carpet, and ordered the flowers. I had to have my sister (Kaylia) get the packages. I was like, ‘Keep an eye out for these packages coming, so Mom doesn’t see them.
“Being able to do that for her was pretty awesome. It was funny, because my mom was outside, and we needed her to come inside so we could roll out the red carpet. But she was talking to somebody, and we couldn’t get her to come in. I was like, ‘Mom, get inside. They need your help for something.’ So she went in, and I rolled it out quick. Being able to do that for her was fun.”
Wirfs has heard from several of his teammates on the Tampa Bay offensive line, including guard Ali Marpet, who wears jersey number 74, which was Wirfs’ number at Iowa.
“He told me I was going to have to get a new number,” Wirfs said, smiling.
He also has heard from former Iowa teammate Anthony Nelson, who was drafted by the Buccaneers last season. Nelson was a defensive end at Iowa, and now plays outside linebacker for the Bucs.
“I think he might have been the first person to text me,” Wirfs said.”But being able to be teammates with him is going to be fun, because he taught me so much about pass rushers my freshman and sophomore season. Me and him, we did a player report on each other. He gave me a scouting report on what I can do better, and I tried to give one on him. But it’s going to be a blast. I love Anthony, and it’s going to be fun to be his teammate again.”
Wirfs is anxious to work with Brady, who signed with Tampa Bay as a free agent after winning six Super Bowl titles in 20 seasons with the New England Patriots.
“I think there’s a lot of emotions that come with it, because I grew up watching Tom Brady on TV,” Wirfs said. “He’s been in the league since a year after I was born. Being able to protect a guy like that … I don’t know how fast it will happen, but he’s got to put his trust in me to protect him. I’m looking forward to it. Being able to do something like that in your rookie season, it’s going to be incredible, a great experience. I’m going to be excited to learn from him. He’s a student of the game, he’s been in the league for 20 years.”
Wirfs is getting ready to leave what he called his “30-mile bubble” between Iowa City and Mount Vernon.
“I’m more than excited,” he said. “I’m ecstatic with how everything went. I can’t wait to get down to Tampa and start working.”
