Bucs OL Tristan Wirfs Names One Tom Brady Moment That Was “Crazier” Than Antonio Brown Leaving Mid-Game

Suresh Menon | 16/02/2025
Tom Brady, Antonio Brown, Tristan Wirfs

For most NFL fans, Antonio Brown’s mid-game Houdini act against the Jets stands as one of the most bizarre moments in league history. But for Bucs OL Tristan Wirfs, even that spectacle couldn’t top Tom Brady’s wild Super Bowl LV parade antics.

During his appearance at The Pivot! podcast, Wirfs was asked to rank the “crazier moment” between Brady’s rare public drunkenness at the championship parade and Brown’s infamous mid-game exit. Surprisingly, the Bucs star picked the former, simply because no one had ever seen Brady that intoxicated in public.

From casually tossing the Lombardi Trophy between boats like a frisbee to celebrating with champagne showers, the world got a rare glimpse of the GOAT’s wilder side that day. Reflecting on the parade, Wirfs also recalled how the entire Bucs roster had liquor coursing through their veins as they reveled in their Super Bowl victory.

Once the public celebrations were over, the entire roster hit the sea, occupying nearly 20 boats based on their on-field positions. The Bucs’ Super Bowl party continued there, with every player drunk and having the time of their life. For Wirfs, Brady’s drunk antics—combined with the sheer craziness of the parade—made it a superior moment to Brown’s shocking exit, which he wasn’t even present to witness.

“But seeing Tom Brady torch the parade was incredible… We drank our boat out of beer there… The weather was perfect, and it was a hot day in February. We were like, Yeah, this is great. We had probably 20 boats. Tom had his boat, Bas*ard. It was typical of him. But we had like an O-line boat like there was a D-line boat… every position group had their own boat, and it was so funny,” Wirfs recalled.

While it’s understandable why Bucs players wouldn’t want to remember Brown giving up on the team as a defining moment, the rest of the NFL world would likely disagree, as it remains one of the most shocking incidents in league history.

Looking back at Antonio Brown’s crazy mid-game disappearance against the Jets

Under normal circumstances, fans and coaches would expect players on the bench to remain fully engaged when the first team is trailing on the field. But Antonio Brown is a unique entity. In what can be considered one of the most bizarre moments in league history, Brown decided to leave MetLife Stadium while the Bucs were trailing against the Jets.

The controversial WR stripped off his jersey, pads, and undershirt, threw his gloves into the crowd, and ran across the field waving to fans before disappearing into the tunnel. To this day, the NFL hasn’t witnessed anything as shocking and chaotic unfold in the middle of a game.

That said, the reason behind Brown’s actions remains a topic of debate. According to the WR, Bucs HC Bruce Arians forced him to play despite an ankle injury. Others speculated that a sideline dispute over Brown not getting enough snaps to reach his performance-based incentives played a role.

Bruce Arians, unsurprisingly, denied all these claims and he immediately fired Brown after the matchup. The aftermath of this incident saw the WR publishing chat screenshots between him and Arians on social media that seemingly proved his point. Regardless, the surreal moment did its damage as no team signed Brown after the incident.

Post Edited By: Samnur Reza
Antonio Brown Tampa Bay Bucaneers Tom Brady Tristan Wirfs

About the author

Suresh Menon

Suresh Menon is an NFL writer at The SportsRush with over 700 articles to his name. Early in his childhood, Suresh grew up admiring the famed BBC of Juventus making the Italian club his favorite. His love for soccer however soon translated to American football when he came across a Super Bowl performance from his Favourite Bruno Mars. Tom Brady’s performance in the finals left an imprint on him and since then, he has been a die hard Brady fan. Thus his love for the sport combined with his flair for communication is the reason why he decided to pursue sports journalism at The SportsRush. Beyond football, in his free time, he is a podcast host and likes spending time solving the Rubik’s cube.

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