Tampa Bay Buccaneers Re-Sign Franchise Icon

Lavonte David, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Agree to Contract

Lavonte David spent the final year of his contract helping to guide an upstart Tampa Bay Buccaneers team back to the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Largely overlooked thanks to the departure of Tom Brady, Tampa Bay exceeded expectations by winning the NFC South and making it to the NFC Divisional Round. David was his usual fantastic self, recording 134 tackles, 17 tackles-for-loss, five quarterback hits, and 4.5 sacks.

David originally entered the NFL as a second-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. Selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Nebraska product immediately became a crucial player on the defense. Starting and appearing in all 16 games, the rookie finished his inaugural season with 139 tackles, 20 tackles-for-loss, five quarterback hits, two sacks, and one interception. He built upon that impressive performance in Year 2, compiling 145 tackles, 21 tackles-for-loss, 13 quarterback hits, and a career-best seven sacks in 16 games. In recognition of his great season, David earned First-Team All-Pro honors, although he didn’t make the Pro Bowl.

The linebacker finally earned his first Pro Bowl birth in 2015. Once again starting all 16 games, David finished the season with three sacks, 147 tackles, 10 tackles-for-loss, five quarterback hits, and three interceptions. While he was always a great player, he never received the national spotlight until the 2020 season.

With Tom Brady in town, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were suddenly a team of national interest. Lavonte David did not shy away from the added attention, as the veteran linebacker played a large role in the team’s Super Bowl birth. Starting all 16 games, David finished the season with 117 tackles 12 tackles-for-loss, three quarterback hits, 1.4 sacks, and one interception. Tampa Bay famously shut down Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl, and David’s leadership played a big role in that success.