The Tampa Bay Bucs are in a Super Bowl chase and that’s a marathon.
But the sprint out of the starting blocks will have to deal with a medical stumble.
The Bucs will open the season without All-Pro tackle Tristan Wirfs, who underwent surgery on his right knee Tuesday and is now deemed likely will miss at least the first couple of games of the regular season.
Wirfs has reportedly aggravated a right knee injury that forced him to miss one game last season.
The Bucs announced though the media that they had scheduled arthroscopic surgery Tuesday, and according to reports some additional minor damage was found at that time.
Wirfs likely will begin the season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. ... and the all-important need to protect the quarterback Baker Mayfield will now need to move to a Plan B under coach Todd Bowles.
How good is Wirfs?
As the 2025 season approaches, Buccaneers standout protector Tristan Wirfs was among the favorites for the new award for Protector of the Year, with 8-1 odds, third best behind Detroit's Penei Sewell (3-1) and San Francisco's Trent Williams (7-1.)
Those odds are about to change … but hopeful the Bucs’ overall chances of true contention will not as Mayfield and company will work to forge a successful start to the year even though they will be without one of the league’s very best players.