Tampa Bay Buccaneers star left tackle Tristan Wirfs is expected to miss the start of the 2025 NFL season due to a knee injury, according to reports.
Wirfs, a 4-time NFL Pro Bowler, underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Tuesday, and some “additional minor damage” was found, the Tampa Bay Times reports. He will likely begin the season on the physically unable to perform list, meaning he will be forced to miss at least the Bucs’ first four games.
Wirfs suffered the knee injury during the 2024 season, which caused him to miss one game. Despite the injury, he was selected to his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl.
Wirfs was limited during team training camp in June and wore a knee brace on his right knee, a move which head coach Todd Bowles called “precautionary.”
Backup offensive tackle Charlie Heck, a six-year NFL veteran who previously played for the San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans, is expected to start in Wirfs’ absence.
Wirfs, the Bucs’ first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, is entering his sixth NFL season. In addition to his four Pro Bowl selections, he also has twice been named All-Pro First Team and helped lead the Bucs to winning Super Bowl LV over the Kansas City Chiefs, 31-9, over the Kansas City Chiefs.
“It’ll be a big blow for the Buccaneers with Wirfs sidelined due to his knee injury. He’s become one of the NFL’s best young offensive linemen and a key part of Tampa Bay’s offense,” said Tim Bielik, who has been covering sports in Northeast Ohio, including the Cleveland Browns, since 2013.
“Ultimately it might not stop the Buccaneers from being a contender in a weak NFC South, but Tampa Bay’s tackle depth will really be tested early against a pretty tough schedule in the first four weeks.”
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