LaVonte David Makes It Clear: It’s Bucs or Bust for 2026
After 14 seasons of anchoring the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense, LaVonte David isn’t interested in a farewell tour with another team. If he suits up for a 15th NFL season, it’ll be in red and pewter-nowhere else.
“It’s Bucs or nowhere else,” David said during an appearance on the Up and Adams Show on Thursday. “I played my 14-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and they've been real, they've been loyal to me.
The fans have been real loyal to me and my family. I've grown to love the city ... me being somewhere else, it wouldn't feel right."
At 36, David knows he’s closer to the end than the beginning. He’s a free agent this offseason, and while he hasn’t made a final decision about returning for another run, he’s made one thing crystal clear: if he does come back, it’ll be in Tampa.
And the Bucs, according to David, want him back.
That’s a key piece of the puzzle for a franchise heading into an offseason full of uncertainty. David’s leadership, both on and off the field, has been foundational to Tampa Bay’s identity over the last decade-plus.
He’s been the steady hand through coaching changes, quarterback shifts, and even a Super Bowl run. So hearing that the team still values his presence is big-not just for fans, but for a locker room that’s already facing potential turnover.
David’s loyalty extends beyond just the city or the fans-it’s also tied to the coaching staff, particularly head coach Todd Bowles. In fact, David admitted that if Bowles hadn’t been retained after the 2025 season, he likely wouldn’t be considering a return at all.
That’s a telling detail.
The Bucs closed out 2025 with a thud, dropping seven of their final nine games and missing out on the NFC South crown for the first time since 2019. That kind of finish tends to put head coaches under the microscope, and Bowles certainly felt some heat.
But David never wavered in his support. The two have been linked since Bowles arrived as defensive coordinator in 2019, and their partnership has been one of the most productive in franchise history.
When Bowles took over the defense, David had already been named to two All-Pro teams. He earned his third in 2020, the same year the Bucs hoisted the Lombardi Trophy. That 2020 season marked the start of the most successful stretch the franchise has ever seen-five division titles in six years, a Super Bowl ring, and a defense that consistently ranked among the league’s most disciplined and physical units.
David, Bowles, and former head coach Bruce Arians-who now serves as a senior consultant-were the core of that resurgence. But now, the future in Tampa feels more uncertain than ever.
David’s longtime teammate Mike Evans, the only Buccaneer with a longer tenure on the roster, is also set to hit free agency. And while David’s return would be a major stabilizing force, there’s no guarantee Evans will be back. Bowles, meanwhile, may be coaching for his job in 2026 if things don’t turn around quickly.
So yes, the Bucs could look very different next season. But if LaVonte David has his way, at least one familiar face will be back in the middle of that defense-still flying around, still making plays, and still wearing the only uniform he’s ever known.
And if not?
Then he walks away as one of the greatest Buccaneers to ever do it, on his own terms.