Todd Bowles Admits He Helped Bucco Bruce Arians With Sales Pitch To Keep Lavonte David
May 28th, 2025
“Thanks for sticking around, Lavonte.”
It was after the 2018 season, yet another losing year. The Bucs were still in the throes of The Lost Decade.
Team Glazer had decided to turn the page on head coach Dirk Koetter and Lavonte David was frustrated.
By hiring Bucco Bruce Arians, the Bucs were on their fourth coach since David was drafted in 2012. The constant losing combined with another coaching change led David to make up his mind: He wanted out. He’d had enough of losing and dysfunction.
At 29 years old, David wanted to move on from Tampa Bay and play for a playoff team serious about a Super Bowl run.
Alas, things were about to change. Arians didn’t unretire just to have drinks at The Undertow on St. Pete Beach on steamy summer Sundays. Arians wanted the Super Bowl ring that eluded him as NFL Coach of the Year in Arizona.
David told Chucky in their recent Barstool Sports sitdown that he couldn’t handle more losing but Arians talked him into staying. The result? Two years later, David was celebrating with the Vince Lombardi Trophy in his arms.
David gave Arians, Todd Bowles and Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht credit for keeping the winning going. Through the last five seasons, the Bucs either won the Super Bowl or the NFC South.
Yesterday, Joe asked Bowles if he was part of Arians’ sales pitch to keep David with Tampa Bay. Bowles said he was, through sitdowns with David explaining schemes and responsibilities, telling David he could master and thrive in a 34 defense.
“I remember us having a conversation because he hadn’t played in the 34 before,” Bowles said. “So he was very skeptical of playing the ‘Mo’ linebacker position. And I told him it was pretty much just like the 43 [defense].
“With Bruce talking to him, then [David] having to sit down with me as well, and we talked scheme-wise.
“He came in and bought in and he kind of took off from there.”
This is an example of why David is such a professional, Bowles added, and why he’s the inspiration of the “I Am That Man” image Licht always says guides Bucs draft decisions.
David, while understandably frustrated by losing, trusted Arians and Bowles and — boom! — Super Bowl, baby.
“It’s a credit to him being able to play in various schemes, different type of schemes and changes [in his] game, whether he’s a dropper in the Cover-2 scheme, whether he’s a blitzer in our scheme or whether he’s a cover guy,” Bowles said.
“And it’s a credit to him being a good football player.”
Obviously, Bowles and Arians deserve credit for talking David off the ledge. It’s one thing for Arians to try to do that. Arians isn’t a defensive coach.
Whatever Bowles said to David must have settled him down and established trust. If David wasn’t convinced by Bowles’ explanations, who knows how Bucs history would have unfolded?
May 28th, 2025 at 4:58 am
Right up there with guys like Barber, Brooks, Linch and such. Nothing but class.
May 28th, 2025 at 5:32 am
Arians is the man! Wish he was still involved with the everyday operations of the team. Hate the way it ended at the Saints game!
May 28th, 2025 at 6:27 am
I hope the HOF voters ignore the lack of pro bowls and acknowledge these details in his game. The man is a legend
May 28th, 2025 at 6:39 am
Lavonte is and always will be revered in Tampa. He’s a legend as a player and the ultimate role model as a human being. Mad respect for LD54.
May 28th, 2025 at 8:09 am
Bowles should just change his name to Dangerfield because the poor guy NEVER gets any RESPECT!
In a story about Bowles helping Arians keep LVD by sitting down and explaining his defense to him and how LVD would thrive and is there anything about Bowles from the posters?
“Arians is the man!”
Yes BA is the man and who did the man choose for his DC? Who did he choose Aqualung? Apparently BA has a different opinion of Bowles than many of the posters here. But what does BA know compared to JBF posters eh?
Todd gets NO respect, LVD gets no respect, perhaps that is just another thing that bonds them.
BTW I forget…who was the Defensive Coordinator of the Bucs SB winner?
Who called offense…why it was BA…again ‘Lung how did BA find time to create, scheme and call the offense when he was also HC? Geez could some of these guys actually have the ability to multi-task?
Could both BA and Bowles realize what all great leaders/coaches know. Surround yourself with great assistants who can fill in when needed.
May 28th, 2025 at 8:32 am
Once again, Bowles isn’t my favorite but he’s far from the worst guy we’ve had and the players clearly love, respect, and play hard for him. To the Bowles Trolls, he isn’t going away anytime soon.
May 28th, 2025 at 9:07 am
Well there was nothing hard to sell here…
LaVonte David is a GOAT at ILB.
One of the best of all time, & he’s playing well and still in great shape.
He’s won a SB & looks to secure another one.
It also is quite obvious that TB needs the help defensively desperately not easy finding a guy to replace LVD.
May 28th, 2025 at 9:33 am
The Bucs are not helping LVD in his final year. Dennis may not be 100 % and Walker is a rookie. Bucs need to get a vet ILB and another Vet Edge. Also, Hope Reddick doesn’t turn out to be another Gregory…. Not feeling good about the defense.
May 28th, 2025 at 9:34 am
Anthony Walker could be a key player this year. He could work beside his friend LVD and make LVD even better. The communication pre and post snap is important at ILB, and Walker is supposedly a smart guy, and would free up LVD. Also Walker could spell LVD, keeping LVD fresher over a long season. The Walker and SVD competition in camp will be fun to watch. SVD will certainly get snaps – IF he can stay healthy. I’ve always liked Antonio Grier in coverage with his history of picks in college and preseason.
May 28th, 2025 at 11:05 am
Once again – Todd’s an exceptional HR professional. His greatest strength.
May 28th, 2025 at 8:46 pm
As bad as Bowles’ defense is imagine how bad it would be if he didn’t have Lavonte to bail out some of the horrific defenses he rolls out year after year.