Lavonte David expected to announce retirement in Buccaneers’ Tuesday presser
The legendary Buccaneers linebacker is expected to call it a career.
Jan 3, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David (54) warms up before the game against the Carolina Panthers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Lavonte David has spent every second of his NFL with the Buccaneers after being drafted by Tampa Bay in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft. On Tuesday, it certainly sounds like he will announce his retirement from his NFL home.
The Buccaneers have scheduled a Tuesday afternoon press conference with David. Per Greg Auman, no details are available at this time, but David is expected to announce his retirement. Bucs will have a press conference at 2 today involving linebacker Lavonte David.
No specifics but all signs point to him announcing his retirement after 14 seasons in Tampa. — Greg Auman (@gregauman) March 24, 2026 David has been key to the Buccaneers defense since his rookie season, playing 215 games in Tampa Bay with 1715 total tackles, 42. 5 sacks, 33 forced fumbles, 21 fumble recoveries, 14 picks, two touchdowns, and 74 pass breakups.
Notably, David tied Derrick Brooks’ tackle record in the Buccaneers’ last regular-season game in 2025. We will update this story as more information becomes available. If David is calling it a career, salute to a fantastic player and best wishes for a wonderful retirement.