With linebacker Lavonte David and wide receiver Mike Evans scheduled to hit the open market in March, the Buccaneers are facing the departures of two franchise icons. While there is hope the 32-year-old Evans will continue his career in 2026, David is weighing retirement at the age of 36 (h/t: Mike Florio of PFT).
“I feel good. You know, I’m healthy. I’m happy,” David told the Caps Off podcast (via JoeBucsFan.com). “I’m undecided [on retiring]. I’m genuinely undecided, like I don’t know. I don’t know. I still got a lot of football left in me. I know that for sure. I still love the game. I know that for sure. The other side is I want to spend more time with my daughter. She’s in school, so [I’ve been] taking her to school and it’s a good feeling.”
Fourteen years ago, David joined the Buccaneers as a 2012 second-round pick (No. 58) out of Nebraska. It quickly became clear the Buccaneers stole David, who made an instant impact during a 139-tackle rookie campaign.
Dating back to his first year, David has started in all 215 career appearances and recorded a dozen 100-tackle seasons. Despite consistently superb production, David has only made a single Pro Bowl and picked up one first-team All-Pro nod.
In 2025, David’s second straight 17-game season, he notched 114 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception. With a 97.99% snap share, the Buccaneers continued to rely heavily on David, who finished second among their defenders in playing time (safety Antoine Winfield was first). Although Pro Football Focus ranked David a less-than-stellar 66th among 88 qualifiers at his position, losing him would create an obvious void on the Bucs’ defense and in their locker room.
If David continues his career in 2026, it’s likely he’ll secure a fourth consecutive one-year deal. This is the third winter in a row David has considered retiring, but he stuck around for $8.5MM in 2024 and $10MM last season. Another pact in that price range could be in order, whether David re-signs with the Buccaneers or goes someplace else.
It’s hard to imagine David donning a different uniform, but other teams showed interest in him before he re-upped with the Buccaneers a year ago. Those clubs could circle back if David reaches the market in March. In the meantime, he’ll have to decide whether to keep playing.
Plenty of football left w/ him. Go coach the next gen locally, & enjoy time with your daughter! Great career.
He has avoided any major injuries to bones and ligaments that we know of. I really loved watching LVD play. He never got accolades early in career because Luke Kuechly and losing teams.
I am fine with him retiring as the team needs to actually look at improving at lb can’t expect a late 30yr old lb to do everything.
It does suck if Mike and LVD both left after that choke of a season.
LVD has been doing a lot more interviews the last couple of years. He maybe on media when done.
2025 was the first season where he started to show his age. And they call it the age cliff for a reason. It’s abrupt. In this league, one step is too slow is several yards behind.
Maybe TB can deploy him as part time player?
Too many missed tackles. LVD was asked to do too much. Bowles has to fix their defense or it’s sayonara.
Had a tough year but could bounce back. Might be better suited playing more inside or sharing time. Does he believe this team can win it all?
If not, might want to help another contender, even as a role player and mentor.
He already stated it is Tampa or retirement and has been the last couple of years. Only time he really flirted with FA was after the SB I believe when Browns and Miami chased him. Then he said no to them.
Bowles and org would also gladly bring him back as the org tends to hang on to the end with certain players. Brooks and Barber played until you can clearly see they were done. Alstott never played anywhere else. Lynch and Sapp only real legends that left, Dunn maybe but I feel he left before the legend status could apply.
Dunn was one of the toughest runners who ever played. Despite his size, he always ran between the tackles. Amazing longevity.
Yep wish he was on that Bucs SB team.
He was pretty durable and probably would have killed it in this era.