The NFL has never been shy about evolving, especially when it comes to player safety. But as the league continues to tweak its rulebook-particularly around hits, taunting, and special teams-some veteran defenders are feeling the squeeze. One of them is Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David, who recently opened up about how much the game has changed since he entered the league.
“The game has changed big time on the field,” David said in a recent interview. And he’s not wrong.
Over the past decade, the NFL has implemented a slew of rules aimed at reducing violent collisions and protecting players from long-term injuries. That includes everything from stricter roughing the passer penalties to tighter enforcement of hits on defenseless receivers.
Now, the league is reportedly eyeing another change-this time to the kickoff rules-after a noticeable uptick in injuries on special teams last season.
For defenders like David, these changes haven’t just altered how the game is played-they’ve fundamentally changed how it feels.
“Everything is getting looked at from the booth,” David said. “I wish that they allowed replay for unnecessary roughness to help us out a little bit.
Every time I'm watching a game, and it's a hard hit, and a flag is being thrown, I'm like, ‘Come on, man. You guys are taking the fun out of football.’”
3× #Bucs All-Pro LB Lavonte David discusses the NFL’s rule changes and why the “No Fun League” has made life especially challenging for defensive players: pic.twitter.com/R7eYOHFYQE
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) February 1, 2026
That frustration is real for defensive players, who often walk a razor-thin line between playing physically and drawing a costly flag. David’s point isn’t about wanting to bring back dangerous hits-it’s about context.
Not every big collision is dirty. Sometimes, it’s just football.
But when a clean, hard hit gets flagged, it can swing momentum, flip field position, or even decide games.
“It's not malicious intent,” David added. “It just so happened to be a big hit.
Somebody got caught off guard, and the flag is being thrown. That can be a game-changing situation.
Being a defensive player, that's tough.”
And it's not just the physical side of the game that’s being policed more closely. The NFL’s crackdown on taunting has also drawn criticism from players who feel like the league is blurring the line between sportsmanship and personality. David pointed to his relationship with former Bucs teammate Devin White, saying the two had to dial back their on-field energy to avoid penalties.
“They said it's almost become the ‘No fun league,’” David said. “But you still find ways to have fun with the game. I'll never not love the game of football, but it's just certain areas that I wish they can just ease up on.”
David’s comments echo what a lot of defensive players have been feeling in recent years. The game they grew up playing-and the version they fell in love with-looks a lot different now. And while most agree that protecting players is a good thing, there’s still a desire for balance: keep the game safe, but don’t strip it of its physical identity.
Whether or not the league takes those concerns into account remains to be seen. But when a respected veteran like Lavonte David speaks up, it’s worth listening. Because if anyone knows what it takes to play elite defense in today’s NFL, it’s him.