Feb. 17, 2026, 11:50 p.m. ET
As the 2026 NFL offseason unfolds, Lavonte David, the longtime linebacker and heart of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense, finds himself at a pivotal crossroads in a remarkable career. After 14 seasons in a Buccaneers uniform, David is weighing whether to continue playing or walk away from the game he’s dominated for more than a decade. On a recent appearance on the Caps Off podcast, David was candid about his state of mind.
At age 36, he said he still feels physically strong and mentally invested in football, but the decision isn’t an easy one. “I feel good,” he said. “You know, I’m healthy. I’m happy. I’m undecided [on retiring] … I still got a lot of football left in me. I know that for sure. I still love the game.”
Tampa Bay has maintained open communication with its franchise pillar, and there’s every indication the team will welcome him back if he decides he wants to keep playing in 2026. David made it clear that, once again, it is Buccaneers or nothing; he wouldn’t feel right in another team’s uniform.
The team welcoming him back means they, too, believe that a now healthy David, who was dealing with a knee injury the entirety of the 2025 season, still has plenty left in the tank. While some fans may believe otherwise, David did beat Jayden Daniels to the sideline in their 2024 playoff matchup and still made more plays than any other linebacker on the Bucs roster last season.
A proper Lavonte David retirement tour where he competes for one last title run while molding his heir apparent could very much be on the table.
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