Tristan Wirfs Serves Pancakes with a Smile
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got a much-needed upgrade at right tackle when they traded up to land Iowa's Tristan Wirfs in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
They also got a mauling blocker who prefers to kill opposing defenders with kindness rather than your typical trash talk.
Wirfs is known as a nice guy off the field, and despite his punishing, physical style of play, his peaceful personality doesn't go away once he steps on the field.
“I don’t know if I’m a different guy, so to speak," Wirfs told the media via video conference call regarding the kind of person he is on and off the field. "That’s just never been who I am, really. I’m not a mean person. When I’m out there, I want to get my job done. I feel like if you can put a defender on his back and then help him up with a smile on your face, and do it over again, I think that’s going to frustrate him more than if you’re talking crap to him the whole game. I don’t know if there’s necessarily a switch that I would have. I just think you go out there and do your job to the best of your abilities.”
A dominant blocker for the Hawkeyes, Wirfs now brings his rare blend of size, power and athleticism to Tampa Bay, where he'll be charged with protecting Tom Brady and bolstering a lackluster ground game.
Don't be surprised if opposing defenders get frustrated with his style of serving them pancakes with a smile.
