Tom Brady could have gone anywhere he wanted after leaving the New England Patriots in 2020. There were many suitors, but in the end, he chose Tampa Bay. However, he wasn’t just going there for a swan song—he still had his sights set on another Super Bowl title. His seventh, to be exact. And that’s exactly what he got in his first season there in 2020, even winning Super Bowl MVP at age 42. Not a single QB can utter the same words.
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Brady’s longevity had a lot to do with his mental fortitude and his TB12 method. But let’s give his hogs some credit too: during his three years with the Buccaneers, Brady was sacked just 65 times, the lowest three-season total of his career.
His 3.06% sack rate was also the lowest from 2020 to 2022, among QBs with 500+ pass attempts. A big reason for that was tackle Tristan Wirfs, who was drafted by the Bucs in the first round just a month after they signed Brady.
The pair arrived in Florida around the same time, and as one of Brady’s protectors, they created a bond instantly. Wirfs, as he often is, was asked about playing with Brady on a recent appearance on the Calm Down with Erin and Charissa podcast.
One thing led to another, and Wirfs ended up discussing how the TB12 diet and lifestyle were huge factors in Brady’s ability to play into his mid-40s. However, there was another trait that played just as big a role: honesty, especially with the training staff.
“You battle through injuries, you battle through aches and pains, all that. And I remember in my head, I was like, ‘It’ll go away.’ Coming from college, it was like stay out of the training room; don’t tell anybody if you’re hurting, it’ll go away. And then Tom was like, ‘You can’t do that.’ … He’s like, ‘You’ve got to take care of your body, that’s the key to playing in this league for a long time,'” Wirfs recalled thoughtfully.
Wirfs earned two Pro Bowls and two All-Pros while blocking for Brady, and earned another Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro last year in 2024. He is a rare breed of lineman who has found success at both right and left tackle. So much so that he became the first player in NFL history to be named a First-Team All-Pro in both positions in 2024.
One could argue that Wirfs essentially had added incentive to play well because he had a QB pushing 50 years old playing behind him. Wirfs was born in 1999, the year before Brady was drafted into the NFL. And, the pair would often joke about that age discrepancy.
“They were like ‘don’t let anybody touch him. So, I was like I’ll try my best … he’s fragile, he’s old. (Laughs) … He’s like two years younger than my mom.”
Tom Brady has shown that he’s not quite as sensitive as you might have expected him to be. While he told his roasters that his kids were off limits (and he didn’t take kindly to a Robert Kraft-massage parlor joke), he showed that he could roll with the punches during The Roast of Tom Brady on Netflix last year. Wirfs’ funny anecdotes prove that was no act.
But after having some fun, Brady is now focused on his second act.
He is getting paid boatloads to be Fox’s top color commentator. He’s also been a very active member of the Las Vegas Raiders’ ownership group. He was instrumental in most of the major moves for the franchise this spring, including the hiring of head coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Geno Smith.
Wirfs, for his part, remains one of the best offensive linemen in the game. In five seasons, he has racked up four Pro Bowls and three All-Pro honors. He also signed a five-year, $140.6 million deal last August, which made him the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history.
