Teammates Called Out Lavonte David For Loafing
May 22nd, 2026
Joe already wrote about Lavonte David confessing to loafing on the field last season.
But the story runs deeper.
David made his intial confession to Terron Armstead. This week, he elaborated on The Rush With Maxx Crosby.
Talking about why he retired, David got into not wanting to become something he wasn’t.
“It was a point in [last] season, like, I got called out by a couple of my teammates for loafing,” David said.
Was he really loafing? David was asked. Or was he just trying and incapable? David came clean.
“I loafed. I take full accountability for that,” David said. “And like, for them to call me out on that, like for me being the veteran on the team and they called me out? I’m like, ‘No, Lavonte, that ain’t you, bro.’ And that kind of like stuck with me. Like, ‘I’m trippin’. I gotta lock back in.’”
Joe’s not trying to urinate upon David’s great career, but him loafing and getting called by teammates is a telling nugget as it relates to last season’s collapse. David was the leader of the defense, a captain of the team.
If a guy players look to is loafing, that’s a usually a recipe for trouble.
David noted he has “trauma” from early NFL coaches him riding him for maximum effort at all times (see Commander Greg Schiano), so he’s extra sensitive about his own effort.
Still a lot out there to unpack from last season’s collapse.