The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ All-Pro tackle could return from injury much sooner than expected

Tristan Wirfs has defied expectations his entire life.

His rare athleticism, physical profile and mental makeup all helped Wirfs exceed expectations, not just as a youngster growing up in Mount Vernon, Iowa, or as an All-American for the Hawkeyes, but even as a first-round pick. NFL draft pick.

Wirfs’ emergence as one of the NFL’s most dominant offensive linemen came quicker than almost anyone expected. Due to his consistent play on the field, he has established himself as arguably the most valuable player on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster.

When Wirfs went down during the Buccaneers’ Week 10 game against the San Francisco 49ers, things weren’t looking good. A player fell directly into Wirfs’ right knee, and replay suggested that Wirfs may have suffered a very serious injury.

But Tristan Wirfs is simply built differently.

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When it was announced that Wirfs had overcome a major knee ligament tear and was instead dealing with an MCL sprain, it was a huge victory. Don’t get me wrong, it’s never a good thing when your best player suffers an injury that could sideline him for up to six weeks, but it was definitely encouraging to know that Wirfs’ season probably isn’t over yet.

On Tuesday, just 10 days after Wirfs suffered the initial injury, the Buccaneers released their official injury report, which listed Wirfs as a limited participant in practice. This was a surprising designation given Wirfs’ recent injury, which is why Bucs head coach Todd Bowles was asked about it after practice.

Regarding Wirfs’ status for the team’s Week 12 game against the New York Giants, Bowles made some encouraging comments.

“Tristan will probably be a matchday watch to watch. He’s done a few things – I don’t know where he is as far as being ready to play.”

Considering the opponent, it might be in the team’s best interest to rest their franchise’s left tackle, even if they think he’s ready to return. Regardless of what decision is made, it’s pretty incredible to consider that despite his seemingly brutal knee injury less than two weeks ago, Tristan Wirfs at least has a chance of rejoining his teammates without missing a single game.

But really, this just confirms something fans in Tampa Bay already knew.

Tristan Wirfs is simply built differently.

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