Lavonte David Still Has It
September 17th, 2025
Defensive master.
Former Browns and Chiefs Super Bowl-winning right tackle Mitchell Schwartz saw a lot in his nine-year NFL career, including watching the Bucs land belt to arse on his Chiefs in February 2021 as the Bucs won their second Super Bowl.
In that game, Bucs icon linebacker Lavonte David had the task of keeping Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce out of the end zone. Mission accomplished.
Schwartz saw a play David made Monday night when he got a half-sack along with Elijah Roberts. David did a head-fake like he was dropping back into pass coverage (Todd Bowles would never!) and Steers quarterback C.J. Stroud took the bait.
David fired in and drilled Stroud to end a threat.
Schwartz suggested plays like this made by David are why he’s headed to Canton. Someday.
You can put that one in the “coffee house” hall of fame cut up. Watch Lavonte David (54) execute it perfectly. Play should be blocked correctly in terms of the ID but David tricks em and gets the sack. Always fun to see when they work pic.twitter.com/1PuFc57jm6
— Mitchell Schwartz (@MitchSchwartz71) September 16, 2025
September 17th, 2025 at 9:09 am
Stay healthy Lavonte, Licht has failed this team by ignoring the LB position, DE and OL depth. You are our only hope at LB!!!
September 17th, 2025 at 9:11 am
He is one of the best LBs Tampa has ever had.
I just wish he could catch the ball when it hits him in the chest…
Good grief man.
September 17th, 2025 at 9:17 am
A-Gap look, SVD feigns his rush while David waits for Vita to cross his face and draw the RG to help C then David fired. 2.5-3 seconds, but look at Elijah Roberts close from the left to help collapse the pocket. Great 5-man pressure
September 17th, 2025 at 9:18 am
The blitz and sack was awesome . He hasn’t been very good this year though. Hopefully his preseason is over now
September 17th, 2025 at 9:22 am
Smarter Than Joe issuing one of the worst takes I’ve seen in a long time.
September 17th, 2025 at 9:25 am
Line backer Dennis needs to go, consistantly out of position
September 17th, 2025 at 9:26 am
That was an awesome clip!
September 17th, 2025 at 9:28 am
masterclass
September 17th, 2025 at 9:33 am
Elijah Roberts. Maybe? I sure hope so.
September 17th, 2025 at 9:43 am
I wouldn’t be surprised if LVD is there again next year……Smart, tough……needs to work the jugs….
September 17th, 2025 at 10:16 am
Lavonte is a Buccaneers living legend. No doubt about it. One of the best to ever play the position. When he decides to hang it up he goes straight into the ROH. Players come and go and are soon forgotten. Not this guy. He is a class act and a great player.
September 17th, 2025 at 10:21 am
We need to win another Super Bowl for Lavonte and Mike this year.
September 17th, 2025 at 10:40 am
Not going to lie. I yelled a lot of words you don’t say in church when I saw the dropped INT until I saw “54” on the jersey. And then I shut up.
This man has delivered on so many occasions. What a career.
And he isn’t close to done. Unless he says so.
September 17th, 2025 at 11:03 am
This was a great play without a doubt, but let me tell you he missed a couple of Tackles in this two games, and I was very surprised with it, also he dropped an easy one.
On his favour, last year he played with KJ Britt, and this one with S Dennis, both really bad LB´s…… Most probably isn´t easy
September 17th, 2025 at 11:04 am
Yea yea great sack. Linebacker play is straight up disappointing this year. With zero pass rush we won’t go far with an average defense, it works on average teams
September 17th, 2025 at 11:06 am
3-0!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!
September 17th, 2025 at 11:18 am
Dion jones should be starting next to david
September 17th, 2025 at 11:18 am
Joe Sea Says:
Smarter Than Joe issuing one of the worst takes I’ve seen in a long time.
Smarter Than No One = every take is the worst take ever seen.
September 17th, 2025 at 11:27 am
We have to manufacture pressure and other teams bring heat every down!
Why can’t we develop pass rushers???
September 17th, 2025 at 11:32 am
That was an excellent play. When I saw him do that I was like waaaaat, and snickered to myself a bit.
September 17th, 2025 at 11:44 am
The Steers TE abused Lavonte, sorry to say. Todd is teaching him how to regress, it’s Todd’s super power.
September 17th, 2025 at 12:10 pm
A hall of famer makes that interception. It’s a habit with him. He’s in the hall of very very good. That is still a great accomplishment
September 17th, 2025 at 12:21 pm
Man, are there a bunch of AI dummies and whatever on here. LVD is the Patriarch and the spiritual captain of Defense. You can bet he will have the team ready. Go Bucs, 3-0!!
September 17th, 2025 at 12:37 pm
When an opposition running back is stopped in his tracks, and doesn’t gain another inch after contact, you know who made the tackle. Lavonte is always making those very-satisfying-for-the-fans, plays.
September 17th, 2025 at 12:38 pm
Love the man. Legend. So not gonna dog him, but y’all realize that he had 1, ONE, solo tackle in that game and 1 asst (that’s the sack). We need to keep an eye out for future ILBs in next yrs draft.
September 17th, 2025 at 12:47 pm
It might be his last year. I also saw Mike Evans slip up and say Monday’s game was his last game in Houston, then add in “probably.” Hopefully they’ll both get back to another Super Bowl.
September 17th, 2025 at 12:51 pm
Yeah I’m really looking at Roberts he could be the unsung guy this year when it’s all over, Hall too. Imagine all the hype for Walker, sad to see him hurt, and then Roberts turns out to be lights out, that would be awesome.
September 17th, 2025 at 12:53 pm
I wish Hardy and Gruber would have been able to enjoy that first Bucs SB. Hardy was a beast, I remember thinking, WOW, he chose us in FA? He was the real catalyst/turning point just before Sapp, Brooks, Lynch et al got here.
September 17th, 2025 at 1:14 pm
Crafty call and he got help from a fake by Dennis only the reverse. Dennis faked like he was coming. We should probably run that one a bit more often?
Go Bucs!
September 17th, 2025 at 1:36 pm
“A hall of famer makes that interception. It’s a habit with him. He’s in the hall of very very good. That is still a great accomplishment“
That one play doesn’t hurt his HOF resume one bit and if you watch close enough he got chipped on the play as he was supposed to be blitzing. What’s comical about the play, was Vita was literally a yard behind David hands outstretched and waiting. Wish the play would’ve played out differently, because Vita getting our first INT of the season would’ve been poetic
September 17th, 2025 at 2:24 pm
It wasn’t that Stroud took the bait, it was the offensive line that just ignored him since they thought he was dropping. Watch it frame by frame and it’s actually a pretty interesting concept there, as it looks like Dennis is blitzing, and the LG has to pay attention to him, but when he drops, the LG is sort of left in the air, otherwise he could have slid to help the center on Vita causing a domino effect that leaves the RG more likely to pick-up David. So just a very good play call for that situation, and a well designed play.
September 17th, 2025 at 5:05 pm
Roberts is the star of the show on that play. Headed straight upfield, split the OL, stiff armed both who tried to reset and face him.
Like the Purple People Eaters they met at the quarterback.
September 17th, 2025 at 7:21 pm
Well executed by LVD, Dennis, Robert.
September 17th, 2025 at 7:30 pm
LVD has been my favorite Buc for over 10 years. Looks to me that he has slowed down. Great play above but he’s no linger the terror tormenting opposing offenses. Hoping it’s just a slow start to the season.