Bucs OL Tristan Wirfs calls for NFL to add extra bye week

We’re two years into the NFL‘s extended 17-game regular season schedule and more players are saying the league needs to implement an additional bye week to account for the change. Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive lineman Tristan Wirfs was the latest to chime in on the matter.

Wirfs joined the Vikes Verified podcast to discuss a variety of topics. When the subject of additional bye weeks during the NFL season popped up, the former Iowa lineman said it needs to happen.

“Yes it does,” Wirfs said when asked if there’s a difference between 16 and 17 games. “We need an extra bye week.”

That’s a pretty popular opinion among NFL players. Another former Iowa star, 49ers tight end George Kittle, said something similar last year.

“There’s a huge physical toll,” Kittle said on LOL Network’s Cold as Balls with Kevin Hart. “And like, 17 games is a lot. It’s a lot of games, with one bye, whether it’s Week 4 or the bye is Week 11. I’m advocating for two byes.”

It doesn’t seem like a huge ask for the NFL to implement an additional bye week. They added that 17th game pretty quickly, after all.

We’ll see if any changes come to the league’s schedule in the future.

Tristan Wirfs talks about playing games closer to home

Entering his fourth year in the NFL, Wirfs is excited about the opportunity to play a few games closer to his home state of Iowa. The offensive lineman said he expects many of his friends and family to show up in a big way at some of the venues.

“It’s going to be crazy because this is the first time really this season having a couple of closer games to my hometown,” he said. “We’ve got the Vikings, we’ve got the Packers – all drivable distances. I think we’re going to have a pretty big showing at this game.”

He was also asked which opposing stadium he enjoys playing in most. Apparently, he’s a big fan of Lambeau Field.

“I think I’m going to go Packers,” Wirfs said. “I think because being a Midwest guy growing up, I had buddies that were huge Packers fans. Getting to play there – I think the occasion that we were there for, NFC Championship game on my birthday – I think that kind of played into it. It made it really special and it was snowing, but getting to play, my mom and my aunt were there, I think that’s probably my favorite.”