Tampa Bay Buccaneers star left tackle Tristan Wirfs will likely be on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list and is expected to miss the 2025 season opener after undergoing knee surgery, according to sources who spoke to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. If Wirfs lands on the PUP list, he will be forced to miss the first four weeks of the 2025-26 season.

Wirfs had arthroscopic surgery performed yesterday on his right knee after suffering an injury last season, according to ESPN. Despite being hurt, he still started 16 games for the Bucs and was elected to the 2025 Pro Bowl.

Buccaneers All-Pro LT Tristan Wirfs recently underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, as @jjones9 reported. Wirfs likely will open the regular season on the Physically Unable to Perform list and miss time to start the season. Wirfs had lingering soreness in his right…

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 9, 2025

Originally taken with the 13th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Tristan Wirfs has established himself as one of the most dominant tackles in the league. After starting out as a right tackle, he moved to the left side of the offensive line in 2021, where he has earned four Pro Bowl selections while being named an All-Pro three times. Last August, Wirfs signed a five-year, $140.63 million deal, making him the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history.

A bad situation for the Buccaneers

Outside of quarterback Baker Mayfield and defensive lineman Vita Vea, Tristan Wirfs is arguably the most important player in Tampa Bay. His dependability at the left tackle spot helped the Bucs record the third-most total offensive yards in the NFL last season. Hell, since Baker Mayfield arrived in Tampa, he’s been elected to two straight Pro Bowls. That’s not a coincidence. Mayfield has excelled as a passer because he doesn’t have to worry about taking any major blind-side hits.

Wirfs missing the first four games of the season will significantly hurt the Bucs’ chances to get off to a hot start. Tampa’s first four opponents are the Falcons, Texans, Jets, and Eagles. Each one of those squads has a very intimidating pass rush. Atlanta re-tooled its defense by adding Leonard Floyd and rookie Jalon Walker. Houston has Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, who combined for 23 sacks last season. The Jets have three first-round draft picks on their defensive line. Lastly, the Eagles’ d-line is anchored by Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis, two of the most intimidating overall defenders in the NFL. From a pass-blocking perspective, the Buccaneers might not face a tougher four-game stretch than that.

The Bucs will start the season without All Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs, who underwent surgery on his right knee Tuesday and will likely miss at least the first couple games of the regular season. Wirfs aggravated a right knee injury in the offseaon that forced him to miss only…

— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) July 9, 2025

Unfortunately, there are also long-term concerns that come with an offensive tackle who has knee issues. If the Buccaneers rush Wirfs back too soon, he could re-aggravate the injury, or worse, tear something. If that were to happen, it would permanently change the trajectory of his career. Just look at former Green Bay Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari, who was a five-time All-Pro during his 11 years in Green Bay. From 2013 to 2020, he never had any serious injury issues. Then, he tore his ACL on December 31st, 2020 and never looked the same after that. In the three seasons following, he made just 13 starts before eventually being released by the Packers in 2024. It would be an unmitigated disaster if Wirfs were to befall the same fate.

The good news is that Tristan Wirfs doesn’t have a history of knee injuries. While he has dealt with ankle injuries, those types of things often come with the wear and tear associated with being an offensive lineman in the NFL. As much as it sucks to be without Wirfs through the first four weeks of the 2025-26 season, he will probably make a full recovery and once again return to his All-Pro form whenever he gets back on the field.