This season, the Buccaneers will don new uniforms on the field that are reminiscent of the Super-Bowl era threads worn by the 2002 championship team. The team unveiled the new look for the 2020 season on Tuesday via the below video posted to the team's website and social media channels. That is, the uniforms will be new to most players. There's one player currently on the Bucs roster that was taken on a trip down memory lane when he first put them on: inside linebacker Lavonte David.
"I feel young again," David laughed as he sat there during a promotional shoot wearing the 'new' home uniform combination of a red jersey and pewter pants. "These were my rookie year, taking me back to when I was 22. I just turned 30 so I like feeling young again. It looks very similar. I feel really good in them."
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David was a fresh-faced first year in 2012 and has been with the franchise since. This uniform was the first professional uniform he ever put on, memories undoubtedly woven in that original red and pewter fabric as he smoothed his jersey and grinned. David spent two seasons in them before the Bucs switched to the more futuristic-looking kit. And now David is back in his original fit, 'but a little better,' he adds.
"When I first put it on, I just thought about all the greatness that happened in these uniforms," said David. "I think everybody will like them when they hit the field."
Greatness is obviously a tribute to the Super Bowl XXXVII Champions – but it's also a reference to himself. David hit the ground running when he first got into the league. His rookie season, he amassed 139 total tackles, 20 of which were for loss, and 2.0 sacks. The next year – while still in the same uniforms – David earned First-Team All-Pro honors after recording 145 tackles, 21 for loss and 7.0 sacks. He wouldn't ever let up. And where he was a young player trying to prove himself when he last wore these threads, he's now a vested veteran and leader to which younger guys look up to.
"It feels like a full circle moment," he said.
That moment was magnified by at least one of the players he was doing the promotional shoot with. David was joined by now second-year inside linebacker and 'little brother' Devin White, whom David lines up alongside come game day. And White took full advantage of the opportunity to razz the vet a little bit, but David wasn't fazed. David was even asked what it felt like to have White put the uniform on before him in the promotional shoot.
"He didn't," David said with a sly smile. "I put this on back in 2012. It kind of just feels the same.
"I just feel like a lot of people will be happy with the change in the uniforms and I know for a fact guys will be ready to wear them and ready to get to work in them and ready to win in them."
