Lavonte David didn't drag out the suspense on Sunday in Santa Clara. He did show a little flair for the dramatic, however.
David entered the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Week 11 game against the San Francisco 49ers just one tackle behind Hall of Fame cornerback Rondé Barber on the team's all-time list in that category. The 49ers got the ball to start the game and on their first play from scrimmage handed off to wide receiver Deebo Samuel on an end-around. A swarm of Buccaneer defenders kept Samuel from getting the edge and it was David in the end who got him on the ground for a loss of one.
The 49ers were able to get a first down on their next two plays but soon faced a third-and-eight at their 45. David came on a blitz and sacked quarterback Brock Purdy to both end the drive and, in fitting fashion, move him past Barber, another famous Buccaneer blitzer. David finished the game with seven solo tackles and is now the second-leading tackler in Buccaneers franchise history.
Most Tackles, Buccaneers History
| Player | Pos. | Seasons | Tackles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Derrick Brooks | LB | 1995-2008 | 2,198 |
| Lavonte David | LB | 2012-23 | 1,434 |
| Ronde Barbér | CB | 1997-2012 | 1,428 |
| Hardy Nickerson | LB | 1993-99 | 1,028 |
| Shelton Quarles | LB | 1997-2006 | 985 |
The sack of Purdy was David's third of the season, marking his highest season total in that category since he had 3.5 in 2018. He ranks 10th in franchise history with 32.0 career sacks, just one behind Brad Culpepper and Jason Pierre-Paul, who are tied for eighth. Despite leaving the game in the third quarter with a groin injury, David also finished with three tackles for loss, pushing his season total to 14, which is tied for the second most in the NFL in 2023.
Most Tackles for Loss, NFL, 2023
1. Danielle Hunter, Minnesota: 16
2t. Lavonte David, Tampa Bay: 14
2t. Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas: 14
4t. Aaron Donald, L.A. Rams: 12
4t. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Cleveland: 12
4t. Micah Parsons, Dallas: 12
David has recorded at least two tackles for loss in each of the Bucs' last three games. He is the first Buccaneer defender to do so in three consecutive games since Geno Hayes had a five-game streak in 2009. David has the fourth-most career tackles for loss of all active NFL players.
Most Tackles for Loss, NFL, Active Players
- Aaron Donald, L.A. Rams: 172
- Calais Campbell, Arizona/Jacksonville/Baltimore/Atlanta: 168
- Von Miller, Denver/L.A. Rams/Buffalo: 164
- Lavonte David, Tampa Bay: 157
- Cameron Jordan, New Orleans: 153
David wasn't the only Buccaneer to get Purdy on the ground. Defensive lineman Vita Vea also dropped the Niners quarterback, giving him a team-leading 5.5 sacks on the season. That's just one fewer than his career high of 6.5, set last season when he led the team in that category. The other two sacks of Purdy belonged to rookie outside linebacker Yaya Diaby, who recorded his first career multi-sack game. Diaby now has four sacks in the Bucs' last four games and has moved into a tie for second among all NFL rookies. His three tackles for a loss against the 49ers also put him into a tie for second on that list among rookies. Diaby's teammate, Calijah Kancey, is also in the top five.
Most Sacks, NFL, Rookies
1. Byron Young, Rams: 5.0
2t. Yaya Diaby, Buccaneers: 4.0
2t. Jalen Carter, Eagles: 4.0
2t. B.J. Ojulari, Cardinals: 4.0
2t. Tuli Tuipulotu, Chargers: 4.0
Most Tackles for Loss, NFL, Rookies
1. Tuli Tuipulotu, Chargers: 8
2t. Yaya Diaby, Buccaneers: 7
2t. Brian Branch, Lions: 7
4. Calijah Kancey, Buccaneers: 6
5. Three tied w/: 5
Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. was the Buccaneers' leading tackler against San Francisco, racking up a career-high 16 stops. That set a new single-game tackle record for defensive backs in franchise history, surpassing the 15 that safety Bradley McDougald had against Carolina in December 14, 2014.
On offense, wide receiver Mike Evans scored the Buccaneers' first points of the game on a one-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter. With that score, Evans moved from a tie with one Hall of Famer into a tie with another on the NFL's all-time list for touchdown receptions.
NFL's All-Time Leaders in Touchdown Receptions
15t. 88: Mike Evans, Don Maynard*
13t. 91: Davante Adams^, Isaac Bruce*
12. 92: Rob Gronkowski
11. 99: Don Hutson*
9t. 100: Tim Brown, Steve Largent
* Pro Football Hall of Famer
^ Active player
Evans has seven touchdown catches on the season, tying him for third among all NFL players through the first 11 weeks. He finished the game with five catches for 43 yards and moved closer to passing a former teammate, DeSean Jackson, for 37th in NFL history in career receiving yards.
Evans needs…
…59 yards to pass DeSean Jackson for 37th place
…169 yards to pass Keenan McCardell for 36th place
…185 yards to pass Rod Smith for 35th place
…234 yards to pass Muhsin Muhammad for 34th place
Evans played in the 147th game of his career on Sunday and made his 146th start. His next game played will move him into a tie for 10th place in franchise history in that category with linebacker Shelton Quarles. His 146th start moved him out of a tie with Mike Alstott and into sole possession of fifth place in Buccaneer annals.
Most Games Started, Buccaneers History
- Rondé Barber: 232
- Derrick Brooks: 221
- Paul Gruber: 183
- Lavonte David: 176
- Mike Evans: 146
Running back Rachaad White tied wide receiver Chris Godwin for the team lead on Sunday with six receptions, turning them into 28 yards. He also ran nine times for 30 yards and a touchdown and has now scored four times in the Bucs' last three games. White ranks second in the NFL among running backs in receiving yards and third in receptions.
Most Receptions, NFL Running Backs, 2023
| Running Back | Team | Recs. |
|---|---|---|
| Alvin Kamara | Saints | 50 |
| Christian McCaffrey | 49ers | 43 |
| Rachaad White | Buccaneers | 41 |
| Jahmyr Gibbs | Lions | 37 |
| Jaylen Warren | Steelers | 34 |
Most Receiving Yards, NFL Running Backs, 2023
| Runing Back | Team | Rec. Yards |
|---|---|---|
| Christian McCaffrey | 49ers | 364 |
| Rachaad White | Buccaneers | 354 |
| Brian Robinson | Commanders | 314 |
| Alvin Karma | Saints | 305 |
| Breece Hall | Jets | 296 |
Wide receiver Deven Thompkins contributed on offense with a 17-yard game on an end-around and also had 119 combined yards on punt and kickoff returns. The largest chunk of that came on a career-long 51-yard punt return in the fourth quarter. That marked the Buccaneers' longest punt return in more than eight years, since Bobby Rainey had a 58-yarder against Jacksonville on October 11, 2015.
