Lavonte David doesn't need to make one more tackle or break up one more pass to put himself in the absolute upper echelon of the greatest players in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' five-decade history. Just the fourth man to play 13 seasons as a Buccaneer, David has amassed Hall of Fame credentials and been a team captain for more than a decade running.
Of course, it's quite possible – and surely the preferred outcome for the team and its fans – that David will add to career totals that include 1,600 tackles (second in Bucs history), 39.0 sacks (sixth), 169 tackles for loss, 13 interceptions, 70 passes defensed, 31 forced fumbles and 19 fumble recoveries. He has played each of the last two seasons on one-year contract and would undoubtedly be able to land another one this offseason if he chooses to keep playing.
For now, though, with the abrupt ending to the Bucs' promising 2024 still hanging in the air, David has not yet begin to contemplate what will happen in the year ahead. In the locker room on Monday afternoon, with teammates clearing out their spaces all around him, David wasn't focusing on whether or not this would be his last time in that room as a player.
"I haven't thought about that," he said. "I've got a lot of memories in this locker room, so I'll never forget. But as far as this being the exact 'last time,' no I haven't really given that a thought yet.
"We'll see where life takes us."
David's immediate plans including resting, getting off his feet, unwinding from a long season and spending time with his daughter. He could use some recovery time after getting rolled up on near the end of Sunday night's Wild Card loss to Washington, which left him with a sore knee and ankle.
All David did in his 13th season was start every game, lead the team in defensive snaps played (1,158), pace the defense with 121 tackles and record his highest sack total (5.5) since 2013. He was named a Pro Bowl alternate, and if he ends up taking part in those proceedings it will be just about a week after he turned 35. His play simply hasn't declined as he has progressed through the first half of his 30s, and if he has lost a half-step of speed he has made up for it with well-honed knowledge and instincts. For David, if he does continue playing that he will continue playing at a very high level.
"Oh for sure, it's always important to go out on my own terms," he said. "When I started playing on this level, I always said I wanted to go out on my own terms. I don't want [anybody] to force me out. I want to put my best foot forward every time and make sure that when I do leave the game it will be stamped that I was an incredible player. That's just how I feel."
David said he thought the Bucs, who just won their fourth straight division title, have a roster that would make them contenders in 2025 with or without him. Still, his departure, whenever it comes and hopefullly not for a few more years, will leave a hole in the locker room.
"Personally, we've gotten very closer over the years I've been here," said Head Coach Todd Bowles. "He's a coach on the field, he's a captain, he's a leader, he's a heck of a person off the field. He's our bell cow. When things go wrong, he'll fix it from a mental standpoint in the locker room. He gets everybody lined up in the right plays, he understands the game – as well as making a ton of plays himself. He's meant everything to me, as well as our coaching staff and the players in this building."
David, of course, was the oldest starter on a roster that was actually one of the youngest in the NFL overall. That chasm will only grow as he continues to play in the seasons to come, but being around young and talented players is actually one of the things he likes most about his career at this point.
"It meant a lot, man, just seeing these guys coming and working, putting the effort in," said David. "Just seeing these guys want to be their best selves is what really inspires me. It reminds me of myself when I first came in, just looking at those guys trying to learn from veterans and trying to contribute the best way they can, whether it's on the field or trying to make an impact off the field, too. It's definitely fulfilling for me to see those guys coming in and putting their best foot forward, obviously helping us [and] contributing to wins and also just being great people."
