Lavonte David And Hall Of Fame Chances
August 13th, 2021
Lavonte David
Yeah, it is still cool a week later watching John Lynch give his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction speech.
And it made Joe think of others.
Someday, Rondé Barber will get in. Hopefully, someday, Simeon Rice will.
Now during The Lost Decade, it seemed as if the Bucs faced a guy twice a year in the NFC South who appeared destined for Canton. That would be Luke Kuechly.
The Stinking Panthers linebacker was everything you would want in a linebacker. Tough. Smart. Physical. Quick.
And in his shadows within the division, Lavonte David, who was also drafted in 2012, was putting up similar numbers.
However, NFL observers would laugh if you tried to compare Kuechly with David. Kuechly was on a fantastic defense and regularly was in the playoffs. Once getting to a Super Bowl.
David? He languished on rotten teams with even worse defenses despite David putting up impressive stats year after year.
Well, Willie McGinest, former Belicheats linebacker, put together his top-10 off-the-ball linebackers this week. Joe already mentioned how Devin White is on the list.
But check out the numbers McGinest dug up on David.
Nobody is tougher than Lavonte David, I can promise you that. Sometimes being a linebacker of David’s size (6-foot-1, 233 pounds) can be a disadvantage, but his physicality and ability to make blockers miss and work in space put him on this list. Last season, he racked up 117 tackles, 1.5 sacks and three takeaways for Todd Bowles’ Super Bowl-winning defense. He’s been putting up this type of production for years. Since 2012, David has 1,123 tackles (trailing only Bobby Wagner in that span) and 129 tackles for loss (trailing J.J. Watt and Aaron Donald). That’s a lot of guys who’ve been introduced to his shoulder pads.
So is Bobby Wagner a Hall of Fame linebacker? Probably.
J.J. Watt a Hall of Fame defensive lineman? Of course.
Aaron Donald a Hall of Fame tackle? An absolute lock.
So if Kuechly, Wagner, Watt and Donald are probably all Hall of Famers, why not David?
And you know what David has that Kuechly, Watt and Donald do not?
A big, shiny ring.
August 13th, 2021 at 8:07 am
No comment about Mark Cook ? RIP brother and still shocked Joe
August 13th, 2021 at 8:08 am
RIP Mark Cook
August 13th, 2021 at 8:13 am
Another big shiny ring would really help his cause. Love LVD! LFG Bucs!!!
August 13th, 2021 at 8:26 am
Nope, keep it moving…..nothing to see here. No chance
August 13th, 2021 at 8:33 am
A second ring would help as would another year in the national press.
Never the media darling, shunning the glow of the limelight, LVD has the heart of a champion and stellar numbers. He suffered and quietly endured for many dark seasons in Tampa Bay. Ring of honor sooner than later,
Easily one of the best Buccaneers of all time IMO.
.
August 13th, 2021 at 8:38 am
Sadly he can’t even get into the ProBowl
Say what is the over under on the announcement time that tomorrow kick off is moved up ?
I say at 4 PM today for a 4PM
KO
August 13th, 2021 at 8:39 am
Implicit in what your wrote is that he did not compare LVD to Wagner in terms of TFL; he did not compare LVD to Donald and and Watt in total tackles. Why? because LVD’s play and his stats are so good, he gets compared to the best of the best in each category.
David: INTs 12, TDs 2, FF 24, Sacks 24, QB hits 55, TFL 126
Wagner: INT 10, TDs 1, FF 5, Sacks 22.5, QB hits 75, TFL 65
Really, if you were to draft one of these two guys in 2012, knowing the above, its a damn easy decision, right?
Sad LVD got stuck with the Lovies and Mike Smiths in the Lost Decade
August 13th, 2021 at 8:40 am
DR, I hope I represented you well in my post, lol
August 13th, 2021 at 8:41 am
Lavonte will be one day his numbers don’t lie he was sure fire until Lovie showed up!
August 13th, 2021 at 8:47 am
If I can speak for DR I say great job Señor. Not only does he align well with Wagner, he also aligns well with Kuechly..
August 13th, 2021 at 8:49 am
Tune in to the next Ira podcast.
August 13th, 2021 at 8:49 am
Two more years of solid production with the attention this defense is getting now should get him in, in my opinion.
The fact that Luke Kuechly got so much attention while David was overlooked for damn near the same production what is a travesty. They were both great
August 13th, 2021 at 9:11 am
I guarantee you, he will get in. A great player has got to be on a winning team to get the attention he deserves. Well, the Bucs are now a winning team, with lots of eyes on them every week. He will get in!
August 13th, 2021 at 11:35 am
HOF voters barely pay attention to members of losing team, but that means they are operating on a bias –
August 13th, 2021 at 12:57 pm
Plenty of players from losing teams have made it in. It’s the smaller market, back water teams that struggle. Get him another ring and a couple more seasons of his normal production and he has a chance. A defensive MVP season would lock him in I would think.
August 13th, 2021 at 1:28 pm
David is better than Wagner and at least just as good as Kuechly ever was. David doesn’t have the honors/awards to get in but the others do. They all deserve to be in the hof, but our guy is gonna get screwed because of mostly playing on lousy teams. Its Friday and I’m not in the mood to b!tch about the unfairness of the all pro voting, pro bowl voting, etc.. 😎
August 13th, 2021 at 1:32 pm
Thank you Steven007
August 13th, 2021 at 2:40 pm
Look i give joe and many of u goobers as big dog would call you and hillbillies as i will call u the buisness but im sure joe as a professional will talk about mark cook. Very very sad news. Every local publication, channel, team etc has addressed the mark cook passing. Im know without a doubt joe will do the same. He will just do it in Joe’s way. Kiss, hug and tell your family and friends you love them while you still can. And yea, david is a hall of famer. Dddduuuuhhhhh
August 13th, 2021 at 2:49 pm
Here’s the stats once again from the Kuechly MVP season, where David doesn’t even get a pro-bowl invite, but is 1st team ALL-PRO.
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
Luke wasn’t the defensive MVP, he wasn’t even the best LB in his division. If Luke gets into the HOF, the David is a 1st ballot HOFer.
August 13th, 2021 at 3:08 pm
Great job Rod Munch. LVD’s lack of recognition is ridiculous
August 13th, 2021 at 3:16 pm
Come on man. Simeon Rice can’t sniff Canton. He was a far superior impact player. If he gets another ring than the chances go up.
August 13th, 2021 at 4:18 pm
Damn good job Rob Munch. LVD has been a stud from to the moment he strapped up his cleats for our squad. It’s an embarrassment. Numbers don’t lie but biased arsed national sports yahoo’s know how to best. We know the deal. One day…he will be recognized for his greatness and get that nod for the HOF. IMHO, no need for even a second ring. The validation has been made. Thanks Joe for a great write on my favorite Buc. Well…favorite currently. All time favorite Buc goes to Warrick Dunn.
August 13th, 2021 at 8:34 pm
Lavonte David in no way deserves the hall of fame. Just as Gerald McCoy doesn’t. Ring of honor? Sure.
But unless Lavonte David has a miraculous next few years, don’t count on it.
August 14th, 2021 at 9:52 am
BB, get your head examined. LVD has played on a team with how many HC and GM changes? Her plays LB as well as Brooks ever did. He will retire as a Buc. I listened and then watched his face get wet w/tears when he came off the field after Bucs clenched the playoffs. He is a class act both on and off the field, similar to Lee Roy Selmon. He is one of my favorite Bucs and the HOF better induct him.
August 14th, 2021 at 9:58 am
BB, get your head examined. How many GMs and HCs did LVD play under? He is a class act both on and off the field. He was in tears when he came off the field and realized the Bucs made the playoffs. LVD will retire as a Buc whose team made NFL history. He more than deserves the HOF.