Despite a rocky second half to the 2025 season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers finally got something to celebrate - and it’s well deserved. Left tackle Tristan Wirfs and free safety Antoine Winfield Jr. have both been named to the 2026 Pro Bowl Games, a nod to the elite level they've played at all year.
And while the Bucs’ playoff hopes have taken a hit, their stars are still shining. Quarterback Baker Mayfield and cornerback Jamel Dean were also recognized as Pro Bowl alternates, with Mayfield continuing to etch his name into team history - already the first Bucs QB to earn two Pro Bowl nods (2023, 2024).
Let’s be real: Tampa Bay’s 2025 season has been a tale of two halves. A 6-2 start had fans dreaming big.
But since the bye week? A tough 1-6 stretch has dropped them to 7-8.
Still, even in a season full of twists, Wirfs and Winfield have stood tall - literally and figuratively.
Tristan Wirfs: A Wall at Left Tackle
Wirfs missed the first three games of the season while recovering from offseason knee surgery, but once he returned, he picked up right where he left off - dominating. Now in his sixth season, Wirfs has earned his fifth straight Pro Bowl selection, a streak that puts him in rare company.
Only Mike Alstott and Mike Evans, with six each, have more Pro Bowl nods among Bucs offensive players. And when it comes to consecutive selections, it’s just Wirfs and Alstott holding that distinction on offense.
On either side of the ball, no Buc has pulled off five straight Pro Bowls since Gerald McCoy’s run from 2012 to 2017.
Wirfs’ résumé is already stacked: five Pro Bowls, two First-Team All-Pro honors (2021, 2024), a Second-Team All-Pro (2022), a PFWA All-Rookie selection in 2020, and a Super Bowl ring from his debut season. And this year, he’s been as good as ever.
Through Week 16, he’s logged 710 offensive snaps and allowed just four quarterback hits and two sacks, per Pro Football Focus. That’s elite protection, especially for a line that’s seen its share of shuffling.
PFF has him graded at 92.0 overall - the second-highest among all qualified offensive linemen this season. His 91.0 run-blocking grade ranks sixth league-wide, and his 84.6 pass-blocking grade is seventh.
Only he and Giants tackle Andrew Thomas have posted 84.0+ grades across the board in pass-blocking, run-blocking, and overall play. That’s consistency at an All-Pro level.
Since Wirfs joined the Bucs in 2020, Tampa Bay has allowed the second-fewest sacks per pass attempt (4.6%) and the third-fewest total sacks (180) in the league. That’s not a coincidence. That’s Wirfs.
Antoine Winfield Jr.: The Defensive Playmaker
On the other side of the ball, Antoine Winfield Jr. is doing what he does best - making plays all over the field. After an injury-plagued 2024 campaign, Winfield has bounced back in a big way in 2025. He’s been healthy, active, and productive, racking up 83 tackles (including four for loss), seven passes defensed, two interceptions, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, a sack, and four quarterback hits through 15 games.
He’s not just filling up the stat sheet - he’s doing it efficiently and in big moments. According to NFL’s Next Gen Stats, among safeties with 35+ targets in coverage, Winfield ranks second in lowest passer rating allowed (75.7) and seventh in hawk rate (17.9%) - a metric that tracks how often a defender makes a play on the ball. That’s elite territory.
This marks Winfield’s second career Pro Bowl selection, his first since 2021. Like Wirfs, he was part of the Bucs’ standout 2020 draft class - a group that helped deliver a Super Bowl in their rookie year and continues to anchor the franchise five seasons later. Winfield’s accolades also include a First-Team All-Pro selection last season and a PFWA All-Rookie nod in 2020.
Looking Ahead to the 2026 Pro Bowl Games
The 2026 Pro Bowl Games are getting a fresh twist this year, moving to Super Bowl LX week in the San Francisco Bay Area. The main event?
A flag football showdown between the AFC and NFC, coached by Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Steve Young. It’s a showcase of the league’s best talent in a fast-paced format that’s gaining traction - especially with flag football making its Olympic debut in LA in 2028.
The Pro Bowl Games will air live from the Moscone Center South Building in San Francisco on Tuesday, February 3. Coverage begins at 6:30 p.m.
ET on ESPN, with the flag football game kicking off at 8 p.m. ET.
The event will also be broadcast on Disney XD and ESPN Deportes.
For Bucs fans, this year’s Pro Bowl is a reminder that even in a season filled with ups and downs, Tampa Bay still boasts some of the NFL’s premier talent. Tristan Wirfs and Antoine Winfield Jr. aren’t just Pro Bowlers - they’re foundational pieces for whatever the next chapter holds in Tampa.