“I Think You Might Go Down As The Most Underrated Football Player Of All Time”
January 17th, 2026
Lavonte David
Former Pro Bowl left tackle Taylor Lewan knew all about Bucs icon Lavonte David before 98 percent of NFL fans did.
When Lewan was a sophomore at Michigan, he faced Nebraska and David in 2011. David went nuts that day with 14 solo tackles, 17 total tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss.
So Lewan sort of followed David’s career from afar when Lewan played for the Titans.
Appearing on “Bussin’ with the Boys” this week, co-hosted by former Titans linebacker and David’s former Nebraska teammate Will Compton and Lewan, the former Michigan Man went fanboy with David.
Lewan wondered, among all the reasons David may or may not return to the Bucs this fall, if one reason to return would be to try to be remembered by casual fans as one of the game’s greatest.
“I think you might go down as the most underrated football player of all time,” Lewan said. “When you talk about tying Derek Brooks [for tackles] and then, when you see your stats next to other players and how close you are, and then seeing the accolades they had from an individual standpoint versus your individual standpoint, like, does that add any more of a chip to the layer of weighing pros and cons coming back?”
Lewan’s point is spot on. You look at David’s stats and he’s right up there with the game’s greatest, Ray Lewis and Brooks among them. But the dude regularly had to buy tickets to a Pro Bowl.
David said he’s been over that for years now and that he cannot control what people think or believe. He said he just hopes that someday, when folks look back and see his numbers and watch his tape, they give David his fair due.
Does David belong in the Pro Football Hall of Fame someday? Hell yes!
Lavonte David: First ballot Hall-of-Famer? pic.twitter.com/fH1SC32C27
— Bussin' With The Boys (@BussinWTB) January 17, 2026
January 17th, 2026 at 11:12 am
He belongs in the hall of fame for certain, but it’s mostly politics.
January 17th, 2026 at 11:29 am
Thru the lost decade him n Evans were the lone bright spots. LVD is a true pro. It’s criminal what the league has done to him get him his gold jacket IRA.
January 17th, 2026 at 11:29 am
😆😆😆😆😆
“Former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel is scheduled to interview with the Raiders on Monday in Miami for their head coaching job, per sources.
A fascinating candidate for Las Vegas, which owns the No. 1 pick — and, potentially, the right to draft Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza”. (Pelissero)
😆😆😆😆😆
No comparison between taking the Buc’s OC offer ( if there was one)
And the opportunity to coach the Raiders
January 17th, 2026 at 11:30 am
If Kueckly is a HOFer then LVD most certainly is. He’s underrated and yet greatly appreciated. Hopefully him and Rice get the recognition they EARNED.
January 17th, 2026 at 11:38 am
Everyone in the NFL knows his career,he has always gotten the recognition, it’s just that he is a low key not dancing after making a big play guy.
He will get into the HOF but probably not a first ballot guy for the reasons I just mentioned
January 17th, 2026 at 11:47 am
@SB~50, you know, you just made me wonder how many less deserving hot dogger are in the HOF more for their showboating than their actual production.
January 17th, 2026 at 11:57 am
Tood will make sure that if LVD comes back for one more Bloweszo failure, LVD will suck out loud.
January 17th, 2026 at 11:59 am
If you count his time at Nebraska and his NFL career in its entirety, hell yea he’s underrated.
January 17th, 2026 at 12:06 pm
Great leader…good tackler….awful at coverage. Only one Pro Bowl……no way he should be in the NFL HOF.
January 17th, 2026 at 12:11 pm
@Bee Kuechly only played 8 years and had 4 FIRST TEAM ALL PROS and a DPOYin 2013…..LVD isn’t in that conversation
January 17th, 2026 at 12:13 pm
A once in a lifetime franchise player! If he doesn’t make it on first ballot, it is definitely political!
January 17th, 2026 at 12:52 pm
His career is very comparable to Bobby Wagner and Luke Kuechly. He is definitely in the conversation.
January 17th, 2026 at 1:17 pm
Very underrated player. Always solid and a great value pick.
Also, where these unis more!
January 17th, 2026 at 1:19 pm
Gmantampa
LVD beats Luke in every category except ints. Not LVDs fault he played longer. When they were both playing at the same time he had comparable stats or better stats in some areas and was left off of the Pro Bowl lists. Luke was on better teams and got more recognition.
January 17th, 2026 at 1:24 pm
Keuchly was a comet streaking across the sky.
Which would make Lavonte David the sun by comparison.
January 17th, 2026 at 1:30 pm
Oh Well he made some good plays. Prolly too old now. Leave it up to Bowzo. Players do not get to decide. Bowzo the Great will know.
January 17th, 2026 at 1:45 pm
3rd and 28
Fire Bowels, Fire Bud Licht.
#NoPlayoffs
January 17th, 2026 at 2:07 pm
Maybe an announced farewell season would draw some attention to him.
January 17th, 2026 at 2:10 pm
Been posting this since 2014…
2013 Luke Kuechly
156 TKLS, 2 SACKS, 10 TFL, 4 INTs, 7 PDs, 2 QB Hits, 0 FF, 0 SAFETY
vs
2013 Lavonte David
145 TKLS, 7 SACKS, 21 TFL, 5 INTs, 10 PDs, 13 QB Hits, 2 FF, 1 SAFETY
Luke – NFL Defensive MVP
David – Doesn’t even make the Pro-Bowl
January 17th, 2026 at 2:11 pm
Enough….cry me a river.
January 17th, 2026 at 2:11 pm
How was Luke Kuechly named MVP in 2013 when he wasn’t even the best LB in the NFC South?
January 17th, 2026 at 2:29 pm
Pro bowl joke Antoine Winfield Jr.
January 17th, 2026 at 2:38 pm
Great stats, Rod Munch.
David is severely underrated.
January 17th, 2026 at 2:39 pm
Isn’t fan vote 1/3 of criteria for pro bowl?
LVD may have made more pro bowls if the fans weren’t so busy posting how badly our coaches and players suck…. And actually bothered to vote for him.
January 17th, 2026 at 2:51 pm
Criminally underrated, if you ask me.
But, the Bucs were in the middle of a decade of losing seasons, and losing teams and theif players don’t get a lot of good pulicity.
I’d love to see LaVonte come back for one more season on more of a rotational-type basis.
Cut his snap count down to 30 or 40 percent on the plays when we know he’ll do what he does best. He’ll stay healthier throughout the season, and the younger guys will get the advantage of his guidance and experience.
January 17th, 2026 at 2:52 pm
Ask players who played the game and universally they would rate Lavonte an Hall of Famer. His stats rank with first round hall of Famers.
January 17th, 2026 at 2:58 pm
Thanks to the lost decade yea he will go down as the most underrated in history.
January 17th, 2026 at 3:02 pm
LVD problem is he played outside LB (weakside) half of his career and was judged every pro bowl amongst his peers who were mostly glorified edge players that count sacks as the corner stone statistic instead of total tackles, TFLs and pass coverage statistics. There isn’t a HOF for strictly weakside backers who were equally adept at playing coverage and being valuable in run support or guys who transitioned inside for half of their career. Had he been an inside linebacker (3-4) or playing the Mack (4-3) through his entire career, the conversation on his value would be more clear.
Off-ball linebackers in this current era are often overlooked from those guys that are pass rushers. Yaya Diaby and Haason Reddick wouldn’t be OLB in a Monte Kiffin 4-3 Tampa 2 scheme, but playing DE based on their pass rushing skillset vs overall OLB required in a Tampa 2. Just to be clear Luke Kuechly played MLB in Carolina scheme for his entire career, while Lavonte was playing the Will when their careers intersected, so it really isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison as their positions asked them to do different things (same with Ray Lewis who also played MLB his entire career). Hardy Nickerson (he started Pittsburgh as 3-4 inside linebacker, not the same as MLB for coverage assignments and zone responsibilities) would be more appropriate to be judged against Kuechly and Ray Lewis as they played the same position. Lolo started playing inside in 2019, a year after Kuechly was forced to retire. Lavonte David would be more aptly compared to Roquan Smith or Fred Warner as contemporaries, or Lance Briggs, Junior Seau, Derrick Brooks who defined the modern definition of WLB, which is a far more nuanced conversation that just taking random Linebackers both inside and outside knowing that playing WLB, MLB, SLB vs LOLB, LILB, RILB, ROLB have very different responsibilities and statistical outcomes.
As an example, In 2012, the year LVD was drafted the Niners starting LBs (3 pro bowlers and 1 2nd team all pro) were Ahmad Brooks (LOLB), Navorro Bowman (LILB), Patrick Willis (RILB), Aldon Smith (ROLB). Statistically speaking Lavonte David’s numbers would match up with Bowman (148 tackes, 2 sacks, 1 Int) and Willis (120 tackles, 0.5 sacks, 2 Int) than Brooks (44 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 1 Int) or Smith (66 tackles, 19.5 sacks, 1 int). But since he played outside he was constantly judged against guys like Smith and Brooks for the better part of half of his career. Incidentally his 2012 numbers were 139 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 1 Int, which sound like those pro bowler 3-4 ILBs of Bowman and Willis, who were amazing players for the scheme they played in but both who’s careers were cut short by injuries and will prevent either from getting a gold jacket. Lavonte would have benefitted greatly if he was sent to play inside earlier in his career, unfortunately he played WLB for the first half against guys who were just pass rushers masquerading as off-ball defenders.
January 17th, 2026 at 3:22 pm
Listening to LVD in that interview he breaks down some reasons why he didn’t get all pros and pro Bowles. Being in the 4-3 defense on the outside he was in the same category as all DE/OLB in 3-4 defenses. As a linebacker he couldn’t compete against the DE and he’d get missed. When Will goes through LVD stats, everyone he’s ahead of or he’s just behind on stats are all Hall of Famers. I think Ira’s got a lot of work to do for LVD because he’s been overlooked dang near his whole career. But for me, hands down, he’s a hall of famer. In alot of ways he has had better stats than Derick Brooks. Hope he goes in on the first try
January 17th, 2026 at 3:29 pm
The way David gets into the HOF will be because of what happens after his career, if he ever gets in…Recognition will take time to get disseminated once he takes a media or front office job, where other talking head will remind the masses & HOF voters how David was constantly overlooked during his playing days vs his true play on the field when compared to his fellow LB’s.
His stats are undeniable, it’s not his fault he was loyal to Tampa while being tied to a terribly W-L record franchise for the majority if NFL tenure.
Had he played for a major media market team or media darling team…There would be no doubt about his HOF induction. But because he has been a Buc for life…There’s no guarantee he will ever be given the credit he deserves for being one of the very best LB’s to ever strap on a helmet & a true professional and ambassador of the game.
January 17th, 2026 at 3:33 pm
I’m really surprised that I’m not finding news on any of the sites amount yesterdays interview with McDaniels. Crickets.
January 17th, 2026 at 3:43 pm
Doubtful there will be anything to hear until he finishes interviewing with a number of other squads. Guys interviewing for a number of HC position as well as OC. I don’t expect we’ll hear more until mid to late next week.
January 17th, 2026 at 3:50 pm
Unpopular opinion, but I think LVD has a better case for the HoF than Evans.
Unfortunately, his play fell off a cliff last year, and I hope Licht doesn’t just sit on his hands and pray for a Hail Mary that LVD will return and start next season. We need to get much better (and younger) at ILB.
January 17th, 2026 at 3:52 pm
Almost threw up in my mouth watch kirk cousins on cbs nfl today
January 17th, 2026 at 4:26 pm
He is, was and always will be “The Man!”
I get choked up thinking about it.
I can remember the Bucs getting destroyed year after year after year
But there was Lavonte.
Flying around and making historic and heroic tackles!
He was surrounded by loafers and losers but he never gave up!
We will never see a LB like Lavonte again.
Gen Z is just too soft to produce a man like LVD.
January 17th, 2026 at 5:18 pm
SoCalBucsFan79 Says:
January 17th, 2026 at 3:02 pm
LVD problem is he played outside LB (weakside) half of his career and was judged every pro bowl amongst his peers who were mostly glorified edge players that count sacks as the corner stone statistic instead of total tackles, TFLs and pass coverage statistics.
———–
What hurt, statistically speaking, is what David was THE best coverage LB in the NFL for years. But in the Schiano defense, we saw one year where David was unleashed, and without question, he was the best defensive player in the NFL that season – as the stats above show. He’s always been a very good pass rusher, but he’s so valuable in coverage, coaches have hesitated to use him as more than a part-time rusher. 42.5 sacks, playing mostly as a coverage LB in his career, is insane production.
David should be a 1st ballot HOF LB, and I hope there’s a huge lobbying effort on his behalf. He not only has the respect of his fellow players, and the people that actually know football, he also has the numbers and a SB ring.
January 17th, 2026 at 5:21 pm
LVD needs to retire. This HC\DC is an insult to all he’s given\n the organization.
The Bowles Swiss cheese defense just tarnishes his career and hurts his HOF chances.
Get out why you can. It worked out for Canales and Coen.
Bowles is like a planet killing meteor. Stick around and you’re doomed.
The Glazers are just hoping there’s enough rubes still dumb enough to buy tickets.
January 17th, 2026 at 5:24 pm
Warren Brooks Lynch Says (preceding at 1:24pm):
“Keuchly was a comet streaking across the sky.
Which would make Lavonte David the sun by comparison”
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It’s too bad there isn’t a like button for comments. Thus, I submit the above as ‘Comment of The Day’ on JoeBucsFan.
January 17th, 2026 at 5:57 pm
“42.5 sacks, playing mostly as a coverage LB in his career, is insane production.“
3rd player since 1982 to record >40 career sacks and force >35 takeaways in his career. The other 2 are Ray Lewis & Brian Urlacher.
I believe as it stands he’s also 1st in career combined tackles, solo he’s a bit lower but still it reflects what he did in 2 years at Nebraska where he somehow managed to be crack the top 5 in career tackles there.
Not sure, but quite certain he’s the only off ball LB in the all-time TFL top 10 whic features a bunch of DEs & DTs.
There’s more, Davids’ HOF resume is legit, but help still need some lobbying to crack that 80% threshold for Canton.
As much as we talk about what ownership does with their money, Team Glazer better invest heavy in Davids’ HOF bid the day he retires.
January 17th, 2026 at 6:05 pm
more of the all pewter please
January 17th, 2026 at 7:19 pm
3rd and 28
Cooper Kupp