Lavonte David retires: Buccaneers LB leaves legacy as all-time prolific tackler, Super Bowl champion David closed his 14-year career as the No. 7 leading tackler in NFL history
By Carter Bahns Mar 24, 2026 at 1:41 pm ET • 2 min read 
Getty Images Three-time All-Pro linebacker Lavonte David announced Tuesday his retirement from the NFL, ending a 14-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Retirement had been brewing for multiple years. Each of David's last three contracts with the Buccaneers were one-year agreements, which left the door open for him to walk away from the team. He again became an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2025 season but this time will not re-sign with Tampa Bay.
The Buccaneers made a roster move on Monday that indicated it was unlikely David would return for a 15th season. Tampa agreed to terms with free agent linebacker Christian Rozeboom, who last year started a career-high 15 games with the Carolina Panthers and now appears poised to fill David's spot on the depth chart.
A lingering knee injury hampered David's final season, and while he did not miss any time due to the ailment, it required arthroscopic surgery at the end of the campaign. David revealed earlier this offseason that he had to have fluid drained weekly from his knee in order to play.
Even at less than full strength, David turned in another stellar season to close his nearly decade-and-a-half run with the Buccaneers. He accumulated 114 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 8.0 tackles for loss and a pair of forced fumbles in his final year as a pro.
David's legacy, albeit arguably underrated, is that of a potential Hall of Famer. He was the NFL's active leader in solo tackles before his retirement with 1,172 career stops, and he finished his time in Tampa Bay with 42.5 sacks and 177 tackles for loss to his name. His efforts earned him a Pro Bowl nod in 2015, and he picked up a first-team All-Pro selection in 2013 and two second-team honors in 2016 and 2020.
David will also be remembered for helping to deliver a second Super Bowl title to Tampa Bay. He was a centerpiece of the 2020 roster that rolled to a Super Bowl 55 victory, as he picked up the NFC Defensive Player of the Month honor in September for a terrific start to that championship season.
Lavonte David retires as an all-time great linebacker
While he is not a slam dunk to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, David's credentials as a Super Bowl champion and one of the most esteemed tacklers of his era give him a chance to be enshrined alongside the best linebackers in NFL history. He ranks in the top seven players in league history in both total tackles and tackles for loss.
All-time tackle leaders
RankPlayerCareer tackles1
Ray Lewis
2,059
2
London Fletcher
2,039
3
2,000
4
Junior Seau
1,847
5
Jessie Tuggle
1,805
6
Zach Thomas
1,734
7
Lavonte David
1,716
David finished his Bucs career tied with Derrick Brooks for most tackles.
All-time tackles for loss leaders
RankPlayerCareer TFL1
202
2
196
3
195
T-4
177
T-4
Lavonte David
177
David's achievements are all the more meaningful because he accumulated them with just one team. He is one of the rare players on these leaderboards to spend his entire career with a single franchise.
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