Lavonte David’s retirement hit Tampa Bay hard, but Pro Football Focus just gave the longtime Buccaneers linebacker a piece of recognition that fits the career he built.
PFF named David to its All-PFF team of the last 20 years as a second-team linebacker, a notable nod for a player who spent his career doing the work that doesn’t always get the loudest applause. The site has been around since 2006, and landing on that list puts David among the best linebackers of the modern era.
That kind of respect has often come late for David. He was never the flashy stat-chaser, never the type to make his own spotlight the center of the story.
Instead, he built his reputation on being a complete linebacker - someone who could cover, stop the run and blitz when the Buccaneers needed it most. He also finished with a Super Bowl ring as a key part of Tampa Bay’s 2020 championship team.
Now that his playing days are over, the conversation is turning to where he fits historically, and PFF’s honor only strengthens the case. David didn’t make the first team, but second-team status still says plenty when the competition includes so many standout linebackers from the last two decades.
For Tampa Bay, 2026 was the right time for the split, and the best outcome was David retiring as a Buc and only a Buc instead of pulling a Mike Evans. His course was run.
Still, the résumé is hard to ignore. In an NFC South that has featured linebackers like Jon Beason, Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis, David’s overall body of work stands out. He may not have always gotten the same attention as some of his peers, but he leaves with a legacy that belongs right alongside the greats, and a career that carried on Derrick Brooks’ standard in Tampa Bay.
In Other News...
Bucs Just Got A Massive Summer Verdict On Bakers Biggest X-Factor
The Buccaneers biggest summer comfort may be less about adding a new piece than getting the old ones back in place. After an injury-ravaged year up front, Tampa Bay is expected to line up with a healthier offensive line, and that matters because Baker Mayfields best stretches in recent seasons have come when he has been able to trust the pocket and play on time. Tristan Wirfs remains the anchor of it all, and his elite play last season gave the Bucs a foundation worth building around.
Sharp Football Analysis saw enough to rank Tampa Bays front among the leagues best, which is a strong sign for a group that has spent too much time patching holes rather than settling in. Ben Bredeson, Graham Barton, Luke Goedeke and Cody Mauch give the Buccaneers a real chance to roll out a more stable unit, and the bigger question now is whether that healthier protection can finally turn Mayfields resurgence into something more consistent from week to week. [Read more 🡒]
One Buccaneers Backup Battle Could Decide How Much Injuries Hurt
The Buccaneers spent the offseason adding starters through free agency and the draft, but the real test of their 2026 roster may come a little further down the depth chart. Tampa Bay knows injuries are part of the equation, so the focus has shifted to backup players who can keep the offense from wobbling if the lineup gets stretched thin.
That is where a few under-the-radar battles start to matter. Chukwuma is in the mix for the swing tackle job, Tez Johnson is trying to carve out a role in a crowded receiver room, Billy Schrauth is pushing for the top backup guard spot, and Ko Kieft remains the kind of rugged, versatile piece the Bucs value when they need help in multiple spots. How those jobs sort out could determine just how much damage the team absorbs if the injury bug bites again. [Read more 🡒]