Lavonte David Expects Thoughts Of A Football Return
May 23rd, 2026
It’s hard to step away from playing the game.
Lavonte David seems to know that. It might be a reason why he’s done an endless stream of interviews since retiring less than two months ago. The latest was on Maxx Crosby’s podcast — where David sounded like a guy who is sure he’s going to want to play football again.
“I haven’t really thought about football or thought about going back to football at this point, but I’m sure that’ll hit me soon,” David said. “But right now, man, I’m just cool with taking one day at a time.”
David also repeated something he said previously, that he really didn’t train fully for last season until right before training camp. That was because he had a knee injury that was corrected by surgery in January of this year.
David also dropped other fun nuggets. He said he trained like a defensive back during his down time and, often, with defensive backs.
He thought that was ideal for his game. And damn, that sure worked for the future Hall of Famer.
Also, the legendary Bucs linebacker said while he was 233 pounds at the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine, he played at 215 pounds in college. The pressure to keep weight up in the NFL had David cheating, he said, stuffing weights in his pants/shorts to make the weight demands the Bucs had on him.
May 23rd, 2026 at 11:28 am
Lavonte you’re the man but leave things as they are. You don’t need an injury that may leave the rest of your life compromised in any way, shape or form. Who doesn’t respect Ali Marpet for retiring when he did thinking about any future health concerns? Good luck to you!
May 23rd, 2026 at 11:33 am
Noooo Dave!
May 23rd, 2026 at 11:51 am
Come on back and show the younger players how to loaf like a veteran.
May 23rd, 2026 at 11:57 am
…and them motivate them by scolding them for their lack of effort.
May 23rd, 2026 at 12:00 pm
The HOF’er Lee Roy Selmon did the same cheats at the annual weigh in. Selmon played at about 208 and sooooo incredibly fast.
May 23rd, 2026 at 12:08 pm
Was hoping the Bucs would bring him back as a mentor, mid season if injuries hit our LBers.
Seeing him do all this talking on podcasts and such, talking about loafing – he can stay on the bench.
May 23rd, 2026 at 12:36 pm
No thanks …..
May 23rd, 2026 at 12:37 pm
As a coach, sure!
May 23rd, 2026 at 12:37 pm
He never looked 233 to me. Just shows that speed and smarts worked at 215 during his career.
May 23rd, 2026 at 1:04 pm
One day David is Loafing,…. now thoughts of a return
Marvelous!
And we still stuck with the same DC as last season and the season before and the…….
May 23rd, 2026 at 1:20 pm
Had about enough of David. Go loaf somewhere else.
May 23rd, 2026 at 1:50 pm
Tykee Smith weighs the same.
He looks just as big.
Tykee Smith MUST be cross trained at LB or our dime package.
I want ZERO linebackers on obvious passing downs.
Give me Tykee Smith and Scott at LB on 3rd down and obvious passing situations.
Put Winfield at SS and find a long Ànd fast center fielder to play FS on 3rd down Ànd passing situations.
Many teams are switching to all DBs on 3rd down.
We need to do the same!!!!
Aren’t you all tired of getting destroyed in the middle of the field?
Tykee Smith and Scott at LB for our dime package.
Parish at nickle. Morrison and Zion on the outside.
Winfield at SS.
And we need to find a true FS who can play centerfield.
May 23rd, 2026 at 2:12 pm
Always welcome back! Shame on the haters. Forever a Buc.
May 23rd, 2026 at 2:52 pm
@Todd, I met LeeRoy (and Dewey) a number of times, when he played and later at USF Alumni football get togethers. There is no way he played at 208, closer to 250-260. He was a true DE that took on big OT’s.
May 23rd, 2026 at 2:54 pm
Teacher man. We do. Only we do it with outside linebackers.
May 23rd, 2026 at 3:54 pm
@ HODAD and Lefty you really complaining about Bucs future hall of famer David being candid about his past, you both need to have your head examined.
May 23rd, 2026 at 4:05 pm
LD knows the issue…he wont be coming back lol
May 23rd, 2026 at 4:09 pm
Lavonte when you just are not into anymore, loafing is key to the mental mindset. It is clear in your mind you are ready to retire. I did the same thing in my job. Once the passion began to fade out, I knew it was time. It happens to us all. I know now I made the right decision at the right time. In a year or two, you will too. Face it your just not into it like you were and their is no shame in retiring. Like you said it just wasn’t you out on that field.
You had a grat career and were one of the best. Go find your next challenge football is no longer it. We appreciate all you gave the game .
May 23rd, 2026 at 5:54 pm
Love to have him back. Not as full time starter. Great leader. He wont take a roster spot if he feels he can’t do it. Class.
May 23rd, 2026 at 6:25 pm
LVD you got nothing to prove and nothing to gain by trying a comeback. Go enjoy your family and figure out what life after football looks like for you. Maybe coaching in the future.
May 23rd, 2026 at 6:32 pm
I think LVD would be best advised to stay away from podcasts, reporters, and any social media. His latest confession will probably remove him from consideration to the Hall of Fame. It would have been close anyway, but loafing is not one of the qualities of a Hall of Famer. Sad, very sad.
May 23rd, 2026 at 6:38 pm
lavonte…keep eating them little warm brown loafs with butter at the outback steak house…
just sit at the bar and go one for one…scarfing one down with every beer you order…
6 beers = 6 loafs…
do it…go for it…
then tell kay adams all about it 🙂
May 23rd, 2026 at 7:49 pm
First off, by loafing he didn’t mean taking plays off. He meant he was slowing down and feeling his age.
Lavante David never took plays off. Anyone who says that is making it up.
I’ve been saying all along that a late season return was possible. At that point we might be desperate.
Or worse, he could sign with another team. I would hate to see that.
May 23rd, 2026 at 8:43 pm
he was Garbage the last couple of years and hurt this team overall-stick leadership. they are a better team this year without him. Sorry!
May 24th, 2026 at 6:27 am
Bucs4evr: Thanks for addressing the L. Selmon playing at 208 nonsense.
Man, LaVonte spoke very little during his playing days, now can’t get him to shut up. Enjoy your retirement and memories of the great player you were.
May 24th, 2026 at 7:05 am
LVD will always be a Buc legend! He played with heart and class. But like all human beings he finally got caught by father time. I’ll miss him but it was definitely time.
May 24th, 2026 at 7:45 am
Not sure how someone would comment that LaVonte did not mean he was loafing on “plays”. Not sure why someone would definitively state that after reading this quote, SMDH.
“I loafed. I take full accountability for that,” David said. “And like, for them to call me out on that, like for me being the veteran on the team and they called me out? I’m like, ‘No, Lavonte, that ain’t you, bro.’ And that kind of like stuck with me. Like, ‘I’m trippin’. I gotta lock back in.’”
May 24th, 2026 at 10:48 am
ACTUALLY IT WAS 206-LEARN TO READ BEFORE SHOWING IGNORANCE. MANY ARTICLES ATTEST TO LEE ROY”s PLAYING WEIGHT.
AI OVERVIEW
Hall of Famer Lee Roy Selmon famously played at an agile 208 lbs, but was known to employ training camp weigh-in tactics. Players would occasionally add extra weight or wear heavy gear just to meet a coach’s arbitrary standard, only to swiftly shed it and play at their optimal, faster weight
May 24th, 2026 at 11:11 am
Actually guys my hub is correct-Selmon DID play at 206 it is well documented in multiple articles.
May 24th, 2026 at 8:15 pm
Todd and Bucs Lady you are both ignorant and trippin:
? Lee Roy Selmon — Verified Playing Weights
NFL Playing Weight (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
256 pounds
Listed on Wikipedia as 6’3″, 256 lb.
Listed on Pro‑Football‑Reference as 6’3″, 256 lb.
Listed on Pro Football Archives as 6’3″, 256 lb.
There is no record anywhere of him playing at 206 pounds in the NFL.
College Weight (Oklahoma Sooners)
Official college listings do not provide a different weight in the sources above.
All available public records list him at 256 lb, even in college-era summaries.
(If you want, I can dig deeper into archived Oklahoma media guides.)
High School Weight
No authoritative source provides a specific high‑school playing weight.
All verified listings begin with his college/NFL measurements.
✅ Summary
Career Stage Verified Weight Sources
NFL (Buccaneers) 256 lb Wikipedia, Pro‑Football‑Reference, Pro Football Archives
College (Oklahoma) Not separately listed; no conflicting data Same sources
High School Not listed —
Bottom line:
? Lee Roy Selmon never played at 206 pounds.
? His verified playing weight was 256 pounds throughout his NFL career.
May 24th, 2026 at 9:34 pm
Todd and Bucs Lady, you two screwballs should get together.