Bucs give back with annual 'O-Line Lights up Christmas' event

Bucs offensive line goes Christmas shopping

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offensive line has been a constant shuffle throughout this season where you never know who is going to run out there on Sunday. However, there is one thing you can always count on from the big guys up front every December. FOX 13's Mark Skol Jr. reports.

TAMPA, Fla. - It's that time of the year.  "It's the season of giving," Bucs left tackle Tristan Wirfs said. 

The season of giving always comes with some last-minute scrambling.

"I'm far behind on my Christmas shopping," Bucs right tackle Luke Goedeke said. "It's actually kind of stressing me out. Gotta make some swift maneuvers."

However, there was no stress at the Bucs annual "O-Line Lights Up Christmas" event at a local target as the hog mollies spent their own money to buy presents for nearly 70 kids selected by the Heart Gallery of Tampa.

What they're saying:

"We're all blessed enough to be fortunate enough to help these kids out and give them some sort of gifts and just make their Christmas," Goedeke said. 

It's super special for Bucs All Pro left tackle Tristain Wirfs, who would have loved an event like this when he was a kid.

More than the Score:

"Growing up struggling, my mom always tried to make Christmas special, so being able to do that in the slightest way to give them something to look forward to and have fun is incredible," Wirfs said. 

The kids had an incredible time and so did the Bucs.

"This is awesome," Bucs offensive tackle Charlie Heck said. "This is what we really look forward to as an O-line. It's our favorite time of the year - Christmas. Being out there with the kids and helping them shop, seeing their excitement walking down the aisles, this is an awesome time of the year."

The Bucs say it is without question their favorite day of the year and days like this motivate them to play their best on Sundays.

Supporting their supporters:

"We do a lot of stuff for kids in general but to do stuff for them when they are here for us on Sundays week in and week out," Wirfs said. "Their parents are supporting us. The kids are supporting us. To be able to give back in any way we can means the world to us and so does their support."

And the big uglies can't wait to support the local kids again next year.

"It's a great event," Wirfs said. "I know everyone loves it."

The money donated by the offensive line was matched in full by the Glazer family.