Bucs all-pro tackle Tristan Wirfs ruled out for second half vs. Eagles after suffering ankle injury

TAMPA – Tampa Bay Buccaneers right tackle Tristan Wirfs limped off the field Sunday with an ankle injury during the opening drive of the NFC wild card playoff against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Wirfs returned to the game briefly in the second quarter but was hardly in all-pro form. He gave up a sack late in the quarter to Ryan Kerrigan after being steamrolled on a bull-rush. At halftime, the Bucs officially ruled him out for the rest of the game.

There is no disputing his value to the Tom Brady-armed offense. On Friday, Wirfs, a second-year pro drafted in the first round in 2020, was named first-team all-pro for the first time.

Tampa Bay can hardly afford more injury losses to its offense. The Bucs entered the game without their top two running backs – Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones – while their receiving corps continues to try filling the void created last month with the season-ending torn ACL that sidelined Chris Godwin.

Wirfs is the anchor of a line that has been the most consistently healthy unit for a team ravaged by injuries amid its bid to repeat as Super Bowl champions.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tristan Wirfs, Bucs tackle, ruled out for second half with injury