Lavonte David Said If Todd Bowles Was Out, He Would Be Out, Too
January 29th, 2026
Bucs or retirement for star ILB.
This doesn’t surprise Joe one iota.
Lavonte David hates coaching changes. Can’t stand it. When Team Glazer had enough of lousy Lovie Smith, David, the Bucs’ linebacker great, went off on Twitter in a rare public demonstration of frustration.
In recent years, David has spoken publicly that when the Bucs dismissed Dirk Koetter, he was ready to hang up his cleats. But Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians and then-Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles talked him off the ledge and David didn’t file his retirement paperwork.
David was sad to see Arians go but was happy his defensive coordinator, Bowles, was promoted.
This past season turned sour midway through the regular season as the Bucs dropped seven of their final nine games and missed the playoffs on a tiebreaker. There was speculation if Bowles would survive.
David told Kay Adams today on her show, “Up and Adams,” that had Team Glazer moved on from Bowles, David said he would have already retired.
“Yeah, if Bowles wasn’t coming back, it was no shot [of a return],” David told Adams. “That’s a fact. Me and Bowles just have that relationship. That’s my guy, man. I’ve gotten extremely comfortable with him. Comfortable with his defense.”
David said his relationship with Bowles is what he always wanted when the Bucs drafted him in 2012.
“Seven years I’ve been working with him, it’s been really, really fun,” David said. “It’s a joy just to understand his football knowledge.
“And for me, being in Year 14, they are still things I’m learning about football. Most people are probably like, ‘Oh, I have it all figured out.’ But every year he’s teaching me something new. Every time. …
“It definitely would [have] been a different talk if [Bowles] wasn’t coming back. But you know, that’s my guy. We have constant communication, and he’ll be one of the first people to know what my decision would be.”
And yes, David said, the Bucs have made sure his access card to One Buc Palace is still active and he will have a spot on the roster ready for him if David chooses to play another year in the NFL.
And David also told Adams, it’s the Bucs or it’s no more football for him. He’s not playing anywhere else but Tampa Bay.
David said both the Bucs and Bucs fans have been too loyal to him for him to consider playing for another team at this stage of his career.
Bucs legend Lavonte David is still mulling a return for Year 15. But one thing's certain:
"If [Todd] Bowles wasn't coming back, there was no shot."@LavonteDavid54 | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/x7X2RDQRpl
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) January 29, 2026
January 29th, 2026 at 6:38 pm
When you’re old and washed up, ofcourse you want a HC that doesn’t run any physical practices. But “out” LVD surely meant retire, because there is no way he goes to a team where he has to actually practice.
January 29th, 2026 at 6:42 pm
Bye Bye
January 29th, 2026 at 6:44 pm
David got his ‘Bag” he dont care anymore. Get him out.
January 29th, 2026 at 6:46 pm
I like David. He will be in the Bucs HOF. However he says he loves Todd Bowles Defense? What Defense? Don’t come back David. We luv you but your time has come. You ran around the field looking lost this past season and have lost some steps. But then again, Bowles would luv having you and the rest of that Sorry A.. Defense come back.
January 29th, 2026 at 6:47 pm
David daughter say take the ‘bag’and run
January 29th, 2026 at 6:48 pm
I like
January 29th, 2026 at 6:49 pm
I like LVD, but need to freshen up our linebackers. Retire LVD and dont tarnish your rep.
January 29th, 2026 at 6:55 pm
I hope #54 returns… just build around him.
January 29th, 2026 at 7:01 pm
RINSE AND REPEAT 2026
He is comfortable. Hmmm
At least he is not BORED!
January 29th, 2026 at 7:03 pm
what do we have to do to get rid of HC Grover? How bout a bag of D!ck$!
January 29th, 2026 at 7:09 pm
Lmao anyhony
Now that was great. All Grover does is run his mouth. Most of the time it’s really difficult to understand what he is even saying
January 29th, 2026 at 7:09 pm
Well, Awe. Ain’t that sooooo sweet. Lmao. I don’t believe that for one minute. He’s only chasing STATS in order to boost his HOF candidacy, at this point. I’m sure he really ‘feels’ that way (as he has in the past), but I’m still calling BS when it comes down to it. I think he’d chase some more ‘numbers’ regardless, of WHO is the head coach.
January 29th, 2026 at 7:20 pm
ESPN ranked all of the Head Coach hiring since 2021
Todd Bowles is 12th of the 37 Head Coaches
January 29th, 2026 at 7:24 pm
Come on you guys.
We need Lavonte. This is the only silver lining of retaining Todd. It’s a slim one sure, but that LB room is getting an overhaul whether David is there or not.
I say, if the Bucs have any shot in 2026, we need Lavonte (maybe the only player that understands Bowles D) helping the new guys and shepherding the new LBs into the future.
Maybe at his salary, I’m out to lunch, I didn’t dive into his tape. Sounds like he had a knee issue and I know I saw him miss tackles he would usually make but I can think of a lot worse scenarios than having your legendary HoF LB be on the team, even if it’s a reduced role.
January 29th, 2026 at 7:30 pm
Hope he wasn’t trying to leverage it and threaten retirement if Bowles was fired. Might force Jason to have that really hard conv with the once great LB that can’t cover the middle of the field anymore…..
January 29th, 2026 at 7:40 pm
I don’t think he would come back no matter who the HC is the amount of fluid he was getting sucked out of his knees that cartilage is done.
January 29th, 2026 at 7:48 pm
One more season, big dog!
January 29th, 2026 at 8:00 pm
Love that guy. Thank you Lavonte David
January 29th, 2026 at 8:07 pm
David is a Bucs legend, his performance on the field in his late age is not on par or anything close to what he used to be. If he wants to come back for another season, perhaps his best contribution would be as a backup with his input and advice for a younger line backing core.
January 29th, 2026 at 8:16 pm
Thanks for the memories LD …. Don’t embarrass yourself.
Stay in shape and if we need next November we’ll give you a call
January 29th, 2026 at 8:28 pm
“And yes, David said, the Bucs have made sure his access card to One Buc Palace is still active and he will have a spot on the roster ready for him if David chooses to play another year in the NFL.”
———-
That’s great to hear.
I mean the Bucs HAVE to make plans as if David isn’t returning — that’s just the reality of his age at this point — but if David feels healthy and is close to full speed, then yeah, of course you want the future HOF’er back.
January 29th, 2026 at 8:31 pm
Comfortable? Yeah…it looks like it. The defense sucks. Maybe they are all too comfortable. The Glazers really screwed up. retire bro…I’d rather you and Todd be gone. SMDH
January 29th, 2026 at 8:32 pm
This was def one of the reasons why I figured the Bucs kept Bowles
January 29th, 2026 at 8:38 pm
Let LVD take his time. If he wants to return giuve him a chance but if it looks like he would not make the roster, allow him to announce his retirement on his terms. However, every roster spot is important so if he cannot contribute, Licht is going to have to tell LVD it is time to go.
January 29th, 2026 at 8:51 pm
Man, the vitriol lobbed by some at one of the greatest players in Bucs history. So sad that these people somehow believe they are real fans.
Despite a bit of a slowdown that very much could have been due to a guy trying his hardest to play through an injury (or two or three), David still is better than any other linebacker on the roster and is definitely going to be better than any rookie they draft and probably better than any experienced veteran they might sign, too, given his knowledge of Bowles’ defense.
Of course, that may be the major problem – a defense far too complicated for an entire defensive team to understand and where one mistake by one guy leads to major holes that can be exploited. Listen to the Bucs of old talk about how simple their defense was and one only has to wonder why Bowles needs to overcomplicate things instead of, “here’s your area, pick up and punish anybody who is in it.”
Bowles is another story and one that has been discussed to death on this site. He’s here to stay boys and girls (at least for this year), so stop whining about that and move forward to what can be done given that circumstance. Complaining about him is not only futile, but it is downright boring and infantile!
January 29th, 2026 at 9:01 pm
Sounds like another player more concerned about everything but winning!
January 29th, 2026 at 9:23 pm
Lavonte is a Buc, yall just (lousy) fans
January 29th, 2026 at 9:24 pm
To be fair, we haven’t really seen what Bowles defense can do with the right personnel. The organization, which included Bowles, decided building the offense first was the right way to go.
It was the right path, but it meant a deficit in defensive talent. They just started addressing it from last year’s second round.
Not making excuses, just stating reality.
January 29th, 2026 at 9:27 pm
If 54 can earn a spot, have at it. I’d prefer our talent level passes him up. But he’s a legend and I won’t bet against him. Agree about his eyes and voice on the sideline as a player couch could be quite valuable.
January 29th, 2026 at 9:32 pm
Man some of you people seem to have no concept of diminishing assets. LVD is one of the Bucs all time greats, but he was a liability last year. AND we gave him a raise last offseason!
$10M for an offball 36 yr old LB. Next season, when he’s even older and slower, should we pay him $12M?
So many posters here act like this is a summer camp where loyalty and sentimentality trumps winning.
Quit playing it safe and comfortable. It’s not getting us anywhere.
January 29th, 2026 at 9:41 pm
We got some cold hearted, callous bastardos on this site!