Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David has signed for Year 14 with the only team he has ever played for, and his head coach says he's showing no signs of slowing down.
In fact, Todd Bowles said at the league meeting that after talking to David after the season he thinks they're in an even better place than they were a year ago. Bowles said that after thinking last year that 2024 might be the end for David, he now thinks David seems energized enough to keep playing even beyond age 35.
"At the exit meeting, I felt better this year than I felt last year," Bowles said. "He was in a much better place leaving, even though he said he had to think about it and didn't tell me anything, he was more upbeat this year than he was last year. Last year, it sounded like he was at the end. This year, it sounded like he could go some more. So in my head, I said, he's coming back, but I didn't know that. And when he finally came back and we texted each other, you know, it was outstanding because that takes a lot of weight off your shoulders and you need one backer instead of two. If you've got to bring two of them in there, it's going to be a problem."
David was the Bucaneers' second-round draft pick in 2012, he's won a Super Bowl with them and been a first-team All-Pro, and although he's only on a one-year contract, he may have more to accomplish in Tampa Bay, in 2025 and beyond.
