Football is a tough sport. Lots of egos in the NFL. Lots of testosterone. Lots of pain. It can be hard to cut through all of that machismo and get to some more tender emotions.
Or, sometimes, all it takes is a picture of two cute babies and their Pro Bowl dads to turn even the most hardened football fanatics into blubbering balls of kissy faces and goo-goo gah-gah noises.
The picture was posted to Instagram by Emily Mayfield, the wife of Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield, and featured their 3-month old daughter, Kova Jade, next to Julius Wirfs, the 3-month-old son of Buccaneers offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs and his girlfriend, Meredith Sutton.
The two proud, smiling fathers and Pro Bowlers are standing behind strollers during a break from training camp on July 26.
“Our Buccaneers family,” the Buccaneers’ official Facebook page posted along with the picture.
It’s the first baby for both couples.
Mayfield, Wirfs Seem Like Naturals at Being Dads
The Buccaneers shared a picture of Wirfs and his newborn son on their official X account on April 3.
“Welcome to the Krewe, Julius Patrick Wirfs,” the Bucs posted with the picture.
Emily Mayfield announced their daughter’s birth on her Instagram Story on April 9.
“Baby girl joined us Tuesday night just before 7:30pm,” she wrote. “She is truly everything we prayed for, and more. We’re enjoying life as a family of 4 — Fergus is so gentle & curious, Daddy is so smitten, and Mama wants to pause time & make these days last forever.”
The training camp photo of the babies wasn’t the first time they’d met up for a playdate alongside their famous dads. On April 15, the Buccaners’ official X account shared another adorable photo of Kova Jade and Julius together just weeks after they were born.
“Football chats look a little different this offseason,” the Bucs wrote on the post.
Football chats look a little different this offseason. 🫶
Bromance Equaled Playoff Win in 2023
Mayfield’s first season playing with Wirfs in 2023 also happened to be the former No. 1 overall pick’s best season of his six-year career. He threw for career highs of 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns, made his first Pro Bowl and signed a 3-year, $100 million contract in the offseason. The Buccaneers also won a third consecutive NFC South Division title and won a home playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
It’s probably not a coincidence that Mayfield and Wirfs, a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time NFL All-Pro formed an immediate bond when they first met.
“It really was right away,” Mayfield told WFLA before the birth of the babies. “It was one of those things – it’s truly out of the Step Brothers movie. ‘Did we just become best friends?’ We get along great, Meredith is awesome. We’re both about to be dads here pretty soon so our friendship is obviously unique. Timing-wise of life we’re in the same place.”
Wirfs is in line for a payday that could surpass the total value of Mayfield’s deal — The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov projected Wirfs will receive 5-year, $127.5 million contract extension with $72 million guaranteed. Wirfs is scheduled to make $18.244 million in 2024 after Tampa Bay exercised the fifth-year option on his contract in April 2023.
