The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ social media team recently shared a video of Tristan Wirfs, with some help from Graham Barton, ranking all of the Mario Kart tracks.
"As of late, the Buccaneers O-Line has been playng Mario Kart 8. We play on the plane to away games, we play in the hotel in training camp sometimes. That's our thing, and we take it pretty serious. We love it," said Wirfs.
Athletes are human like the rest of us, and so many of them enjoy gaming in their downtime away from the field. Mike Evans, in particular, has long been known for his love of video games, and now with Wirfs openly sharing the offensive line's Mario Kart fandom, it only feels fitting to match some of the Buccaneers’ biggest stars with their Mario Kart universe counterparts.
From Raymond James Stadium to Rainbow Road: Which Mario Kart Racer best fits each Buccaneer?
Baker Mayfield - Bowser Jr.
Bowser Jr. may be small in stature, but he has a giant personality. Mischievous and sometimes a little arrogant against his opponents, he’s a lot like the quarterback Buccaneers fans have quickly grown to love. Both smaller than many around them, but don’t underestimate either, or they’ll burn you.
Mike Evans - Mario
The perfect fit for Mario is none other than Mr. Buccaneer himself. Like Mario is to the Nintendo franchise, Evans is synonymous with the Buccaneers franchise.
Undeniably iconic and the fan favorite, Evans is Mario come to life for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Chris Godwin Jr. - Luigi
Luigi is the ultimate No. 2 with the ability to step in as a No. 1 at any time, and that’s Godwin to a tee.
Throughout his career, Godwin thrives without demanding the spotlight. Every great Mario needs a Luigi, and Evans has found his.
Emeka Egbuka - Baby Mario
Egbuka is the first wide receiver the Buccaneers have drafted in the first round since selecting Evans back in 2014, making him the natural fit for Baby Mario.
With 910 yards and 2 games to go, Egbuka has a real chance to follow in Evans’ footsteps and kick off his career with a 1,000-yard season.
Vita Vea - Bowser
There was never another option. Vea is Bowser in every sense: massive, powerful, and endlessly disruptive to the opponent.
When he’s at full strength, entire game plans revolve around stopping him from wrecking the game.
Tristan Wirfs - Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong blends brute strength with surprising agility for his size. Sound familiar, Bucs fans?
That combination perfectly describes Wirfs, the anchor of Tampa Bay’s offensive line. He’s absolutely dominant, yet far more athletic than anyone his size has any right to be. Just think back to the viral videos of Wirfs launching himself out of a pool like it’s nothing.
Antoine Winfield Jr. - Diddy Kong
Winfield may not be the biggest player on the field, but his speed, playmaking, and ability to change a race (or a game) in an instant makes him one of the most dangerous Bucs on the roster.
Bucky Irving - Yoshi
Bucky Irving fits Yoshi perfectly. He does not need brute force to make an impact. His speed, elusiveness, and ability to slip through traffic do the damage instead.
Every time he touches the ball, there is a sense something big could happen, and his energy makes him impossible not to root for. That is exactly why he so quickly became a fan favorite in Tampa Bay.