'I Gave Up a Sack': Tristan Wirfs Regrets His Role in Ending Tom Brady’s Career on a Sour Note
When Tom Brady first announced that he would be taking his talents to Tampa Bay, there was excitement in the air for the fans and the front office members alike. For Tristan Wirfs, however, it meant that a grave undertaking was about to take place.
The offensive linemen already have an extraordinary duty, but protecting the greatest signal caller in the history of your profession means placing that pressure on yourself. While he would manage to live up to those expectations that he had set for himself, Wirfs has also admitted that he still struggles to think about one of the last times in which he didn’t.
“Talk about nightmare fuel, dude,” he exclaimed during his recent appearance on the Bussin’ with the Boys podcast. “When they called me on draft night, they were like, ‘You ready to protect Tom Brady?’ I was like, what? You gotta be kidding me. I was just trying to keep him upright. Because, obviously, if you get him hit hard, I don’t want to be the one to end Tom Brady’s career,
Unfortunately, that’s exactly what would happen when the Bucs were forced to face off against the Dallas Cowboys in the opening round of the 2022 playoffs. Brady would throw the ball 66 total times that day, but nothing proved to be enough to close the gap.
Although even after Dallas found itself with a 31-6 lead, it still seemed as if there was a bit of magic left. Brady was able to connect with Cameron Brate on an eight-yard touchdown pass, and that was followed by a successful two-point conversion and onside kick.
But that’s where the fun ended, as a sack from Micah Parsons on 2nd & 10 effectively brought an end to the contest. According to Wirfs, that particular moment in time will likely haunt him forever.
“Turns out it would be one of the last plays of Tom’s career, and I gave up a sack. That’s going to stick with me for the rest of my life. That is haunting,
” Wirfs said.
Brady would inevitably go out to the tune of 35 pass completions, 351 passing yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, proving that, even in his final moments, he was still capable of being one of the better quarterbacks in the league.
It still remains unknown whether Brady ever shared his honest thoughts with Wirfs about the 2022 sack. Interestingly, that was also the last time the Cowboys entered the playoffs.
Titans Linked to Calvin Ridley as Trade Buzz Builds - 3 Teams Named as Top Fits
The Tennessee Titans have decisions to make surrounding Calvin Ridley's future. The $92 million wide receiver is technically signed through 2027 and has occasionally shown good rapport with rookie quarterback Cam Ward. Alternatively, Ridley is a 30-year-old overpaid receiver on a rebuilding team.
The latter statement is precisely why the Titans could consider trading Ridley by the NFL's upcoming trade deadline (Nov. 4). If there's any league-wide interest in acquiring the struggling Ridley, Mike Borgonzi and Chad Brinker should at least listen to offers.
Ridley has endured an up-and-down season. He's still a 1,000-yard receiver with game-breaking potential. We've identified three potential landing spots for Ridley near the trade deadline.
Titans WR Calvin Ridley could garner interest from the following three teams at the NFL trade deadline
Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders are dealing with several injuries at wide receiver. Recently, both Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel have been sidelined. At a disappointing 3-4, the Commanders aren't experiencing the Jayden Daniels sophomore season they thought they'd be, but adding another weapon like Ridley to the offense could help salvage their campaign.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers just lost superstar wide receiver Mike Evans to a potential season-ending injury. The future Hall of Famer will be sidelined for a significant amount of time. Rookie starlet Emeka Egbuka has also been limited in recent weeks. Right now, the playoff-hopeful Bucs are overly reliant on Tez Johnson and Sterling Shepard at receiver. The Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers are surprise contenders in the NFC South division, meaning the Bucs need to strengthen.
New England Patriots
Would Mike Vrabel and the New England Patriots trade for Ridley? Vrabel wasn't in Tennessee when Ridley first joined the Titans, but his sophomore quarterback Drake Maye is performing admirably despite a lack of desirable pass-catching depth. The Patriots are serious playoff contenders, and that could make them buyers at the deadline.
