Lavonte David is up in the air regarding a potential 15th NFL season in 2026. The long time Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker and former Nebraska star is still “thinking about it.”

David’s been remarkably healthy throughout his career, playing in 215 regular season games and never less than 12 games in a single season. A Super Bowl LV champion, David feels like there could be more to give, but he has to give it time.

“I’m just still thinking about it,” David said on The Jim Rome Show. “It was a long season. A long season, for me, personally. Just dealt with a lot of things and the way everything went. Just got to have a great, right mentality for me. … The great thing about it is the Bucs and me, we have great communication, so everything is open. 

“We just talk to each other whenever each other is ready to make a deal, do something about it, but right now I’m just kind of calming down, relaxing, getting my body right and getting myself in a mental place to be able to make a decision.”

David finished the 2025 season with 114 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, three pass deflections, one interception, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries Over the course of his career, David has 1,716 tackles, 42.5 sacks,, 14 interceptions, 33 forced fumbles, 21 fumble recoveries and three defensive touchdowns.

“If I’m not thinking I’m the best out there on the field, there’s no point in me going out there to play,” he said. “But so far, so good. The trajectory is climbing, I’m feeling pretty good, you know, physically, always, but mentally I just have to get there. And when I’m there, I have to make sure I stay there to be able to take one whatever the season comes.”

David was named First-Team All-Pro in 2013 and twice to the Second-Team in 2016 and ‘20. The linebacker was also a Pro Bowler in 2015 and named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2012. 

At Nebraska, David was two-time First-Team All-American and named the Big Ten Linebacker of the Year in 2011. He was also the Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year in 2010.

It was a brutal end to the year for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and David. The team finished 8-9 on the year following a 6-2 start. Despite beating the Carolina Panthers on the final weekend, they needed a Saints win over the Falcons to clinch the AFC South in Week 18, but they were not so lucky and missed the postseason.