{"id":716435,"date":"2026-01-30T12:07:14","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T12:07:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/716435\/"},"modified":"2026-01-30T12:07:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T12:07:14","slug":"lavonte-david-said-if-todd-bowles-was-out-he-would-be-out-too-joebucsfan-com","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/716435\/","title":{"rendered":"Lavonte David Said If Todd Bowles Was Out, He Would Be Out, Too – JoeBucsFan.com"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Bucs or retirement for star ILB.<\/p>\n

This doesn\u2019t surprise Joe one iota.<\/p>\n

Lavonte David hates coaching changes. Can\u2019t stand it. When Team Glazer had enough of lousy Lovie Smith, David, the Bucs\u2019 linebacker great, went off on Twitter in a rare public demonstration of frustration.<\/p>\n

In recent years, David has spoken publicly that when the Bucs dismissed Dirk Koetter, he was ready to hang up his cleats. But Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians and then-Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles talked him off the ledge and David didn\u2019t file his retirement paperwork.<\/p>\n

David was sad to see Arians go but was happy his defensive coordinator, Bowles, was promoted.<\/p>\n

This past season turned sour midway through the regular season as the Bucs dropped seven of their final nine games and missed the playoffs on a tiebreaker. There was speculation if Bowles would survive.<\/p>\n

David told Kay Adams today on her show, \u201cUp and Adams,\u201d that had Team Glazer moved on from Bowles, David said he would have already retired.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, if Bowles wasn\u2019t coming back, it was no shot [of a return],\u201d David told Adams. \u201cThat\u2019s a fact. Me and Bowles just have that relationship. That\u2019s my guy, man. I\u2019ve gotten extremely comfortable with him. Comfortable with his defense.\u201d<\/p>\n

David said his relationship with Bowles is what he always wanted when the Bucs drafted him in 2012.<\/p>\n

\u201cSeven years I\u2019ve been working with him, it\u2019s been really, really fun,\u201d David said. \u201cIt\u2019s a joy just to understand his football knowledge.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd for me, being in Year 14, they are still things I\u2019m learning about football. Most people are probably like, \u2018Oh, I have it all figured out.\u2019 But every year he\u2019s teaching me something new. Every time. \u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cIt definitely would [have] been a different talk if [Bowles] wasn\u2019t coming back. But you know, that\u2019s my guy. We have constant communication, and he\u2019ll be one of the first people to know what my decision would be.\u201d<\/p>\n

And yes, David said, the Bucs have made sure his access card to One Buc Palace is still active and he will have a spot on the roster ready for him if David chooses to play another year in the NFL.<\/p>\n

And David also told Adams, it\u2019s the Bucs or it\u2019s no more football for him. He\u2019s not playing anywhere else but Tampa Bay.<\/p>\n

David said both the Bucs and Bucs fans have been too loyal to him for him to consider playing for another team at this stage of his career.<\/p>\n

Bucs legend Lavonte David is still mulling a return for Year 15. But one thing’s certain:<\/p>\n

“If [Todd] Bowles wasn’t coming back, there was no shot.”@LavonteDavid54<\/a> | @heykayadams<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/x7X2RDQRpl<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) January 29, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

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