Tristan Wirfs opens up about mental health struggles in left tackle transition for Bucs

It is important to remember that all athletes are humans. They are no different than you and me besides an ability to play the game of football way better. As football season heats up, especially with the ever-growing popularity of fantasy sports and sports gambling, it is important to not lose sight of that fact.

Tristan Wirfs is well-regarded as one of the best players in the NFL. He is amongst the elite offensive linemen, and a true game-changer whenever he steps foot on the field. This has been the story since his time in Iowa City as a Hawkeye.

Even with his success, he reminded us all on Friday that he is still a normal person just like the rest of us. He goes through the same worries and anxieties as we all do. He opened up to the Tampa Bay media about his mental process accompanying his transition from right to left tackle.

“I was in a really rough spot mentally,” Wirfs described in a recent media availability. “I was really nervous. I was like playing the season in my head over and over again, like ‘Oh, what if it goes this way? What if it goes this way?’ You know, and I’m like, it’s freaking May. I’m like, you’ve got to calm down.”

Wirfs faces a difficult transition for any offensive lineman in switching sides on the line. Many forget that real football isn’t like Madden. Players cannot just pick up other positions like it’s nothing. Even at the two tackle positions on the offensive line, there is a huge learning curve when switching to the other side. This is especially true for a player like Wirfs who has played exclusively on the right side since his days with the Iowa Hawkeyes.

To give yourself an idea of how difficult the transition is, try going about your day using your non-dominant hand to do everything. When you switch sides of the line, sure a lot of the principles and responsibilities are the same, but you are so used to doing things on your natural side. That’s where all of your reps, and possibly more importantly your mental reps come from.

Even for a player like Wirfs, a two-time AP All-Pro offensive tackle, that is a worrying transition. Wirfs has benefited greatly from the Tampa Bay team psychologist for helping him through this process.

“I don’t know if it’s necessarily subsided. I think just the negative thoughts have kind of been outweighed by the positive thoughts now,” Wirfs said.

While those anxieties haven’t completely subsided, Wirfs is doing everything he can to trust himself and the work he’s put in so far.

“It’s been a lot better. Just kind of trusting myself and having confidence in my abilities and knowing the work that I put in is going to pay off. And come out here every day having the best attitude I can, especially having young guys kind of look up to me now.

“We’ve got these two, Silas (Dzansi) and Raiqwon (O’Neal). They’re asking me questions and stuff. It’s weird. Silas is freaking older than me, but I’m kind of helping those guys out the best I can. Sometimes in team drills it might not look like how I’m saying it, but I know what I’m talking about. I’m trying to do it. Just trying to stay as positive as I can. It’s helped me mentally quite a bit,” Wirfs said.

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Story originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire