Stunning Revelation From Lavonte David
March 24th, 2024
Losing really bothered him.
You don’t often hear a professional athlete go down this road. But that’s just what Lavonte David did last week.
On Friday, the Bucs held sort of a celebration for 34-year-old David returning on a one-year deal. Who knows what happens after that?
David played on some truly awful Bucs teams. You know, The Lost Decade?
Joe was watching a Bucs’ twitter video of all of David’s forced fumbles. Many were with David wearing those heinous Jameis Winston jerseys. If those uniforms don’t give you the shivers, the players David covered for on defense will.
As the losses piled up week after week, David confessed his personality began to change. So much anger and frustration began to build up that David took his workplace bitterness with him away from The Licht House, which back in those dark days was The Den of Depression.
“Those first whatever years [were] obviously difficult,” David said. “I remember I was having a conversation a couple of weeks ago… I used to take a lot of stuff out on my family when they used to come up when we [weren’t] winning and things like that because I [took] it so hard. Nobody likes to lose.”
Wow. Now David didn’t go into any detail and Joe is not trying to infer or suggest anything awful took place. But Joe has rarely heard professional athletes confess that losing got to them so badly they became bitter away from the field of play and it affected the athlete’s family.
It’s really a stunning admission.
What got David’s mind right? He credits Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians.
So when you want to impale your TV with a remote after a dumb play or want to throw beer bottles at traffic because you are so outraged over a loss, realize a few professionals in the game are maybe more peeved than you are.
And David is the true definition of a professional.
Every forced fumble of Lavonte’s career 🤯🔥
Watch more plays like this on NFL+ 🎥 pic.twitter.com/cELraJYXeh
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) March 22, 2024
March 24th, 2024 at 12:36 am
Stunning that the man is a human being? That he admits to being stressed out when things go to hell – like most people? Gotta work on those headlines, whichever ‘Joe’ you are. This isn’t a tabloid, is it?
March 24th, 2024 at 12:45 am
Stunning revelation: football player is human, experienced emotions and is affected by them. Yeah that sounds really normal. Like he cares about the thing he has committed his whole life toward becoming great. Like, the most normal thing in the world for any human ever.
March 24th, 2024 at 12:46 am
I don’t see him getting mad but then again no one likes to lose
March 24th, 2024 at 12:59 am
Those first 7 years of LD54s career were hard on the fans as well.
The Schiano, Lovie Smith and Dirk Koetter years….
38 wins – 74 losses
Ouch!
It took Jason Licht 5 full years to dig this team out of the massive lack of talent hole that “rockstar” Mark Dominik had dug the Bucs into the preceding 5 years (09>13).
March 24th, 2024 at 1:03 am
One of the biggest steals in draft history IMO. He was THE reason to watch the Bucs for so many years. I felt bad for him being on those terrible teams while he consistently played GREAT! For him to resign with us all those years ago bc he felt he had unfinished business with the Bucs shows the type of character LVD has. I’m looking forward to seeing him continue his Bucs RoH and HoF level play this year & I hope a cpl more years after. On the subject of the HoF & LVD- it’ll be a travesty if the HOF voting is as bad as the Pro(pensity to vote based on popularity, not PLAY) Bowl is.
March 24th, 2024 at 1:38 am
I think we all feel LD pain. When I use to go to games during the “lost decade” I questioned my fandom many times. I use to leave the stadium so pissed off and angry over a football game. It showed how much I cared about the team. All of us die yards reaped the rewards the night of the Super Bowl. I’m so glad I was outside of stadium that night, it all paid off that night.
March 24th, 2024 at 2:03 am
Well written article, JOE, and it simply stays in course with the way I view Lavonte David as a player & person. Very proud to have had him represent the BUCS all of these years.
March 24th, 2024 at 4:51 am
Loving the forced fumbles brought to us by Lavonte!
Sort of off subject – I saw a video with Jameis at Browns facility taking snaps in his suit, long gold jacket, from his press conference. He seemed pretty excited and he always has had a strong work trait. It’s going to be interesting.
March 24th, 2024 at 6:08 am
Draft a center, guard, edge. In that order.
March 24th, 2024 at 6:43 am
It is still surprising to me how little credit that Bruce Arians and Todd Bowles get for changing the culture.
March 24th, 2024 at 6:49 am
I guess the vulnerability to make that admission is what’s surprising?
Otherwise, it’s good to see that he was frustrated. It means that he cared about winning more than just cashing a check unlike so many other players on those teams throughout the years.
I’d love to see the team draft Cedric Gray to be mentored by Lavonte for his final year(s). I think they have very similar playing styles and could potentially carry on the torch of great LB play in Tampa Bay.
In any case, LVD is a true professional. Thank you for sticking it out and thank you Glazers for bringing in Licht, BA and Todd to establish a new winning culture in Tampa Bay.
Let’s keep it going!
March 24th, 2024 at 6:55 am
This impressed you? That a person would wrongly offload frustration on someone else? He admitted it. Who hasn’t.
March 24th, 2024 at 7:11 am
Wow..I think Joe’s point isn’t that LVD was frustrated and angry after a loss to the point of being “bitchy” towards family members. We all get like that about something at the workplace from time to time. The point is most likely that LVD would openly talk about it.
March 24th, 2024 at 7:18 am
The thing that is stunning is him openly confessing that he is human, this is no longer allowed.
March 24th, 2024 at 7:34 am
When athletes say something beyond the canned responses they are trained to say-we are in Shock. It’s not easy being ‘Normal’ any more. Pass Rush.
March 24th, 2024 at 7:54 am
That is why so many hated McCoy. I was a fan but I will never forget him laughing and smiling immediately after that humiliating defeat to Cousins and the Redskins. I was livid that we lost and the guy making millions as pro seemed perfectly fine with it.
March 24th, 2024 at 7:57 am
Writing an article trying not to Insinuate something that you are purposefully insinuating is God-awful and some real nasty work. Hell, most fans take their frustration out on family and friends after some of the losses we’ve encountered. I live in Louisiana and wont talk to my immediate for days at a time after some of our Saints losses. I dont think the man is doing what your inflammatory article is suggesting. I know there isnt much to write about, but try and be better during the dog dsys of the offseason. Go Bucs!
March 24th, 2024 at 7:58 am
A couple of years later, perhaps now that players have had time to reflect, I’m hearing more and more trickle out from players and the organization about Arians really turned the tide on the culture of this franchise. Perhaps Arians is one of JL’s best signings ever…
March 24th, 2024 at 8:10 am
Come on Joe, this is part of human nature. You unload on the ones you love, and they do the same. Except for McCoy, he went home and played with his action figures.
March 24th, 2024 at 8:25 am
I admire David’s honesty.
Continue to show what a guy he is! Big fan.
Go Bucs!!!
March 24th, 2024 at 8:25 am
Really speaks to his maturity. Sounds like a good dude.
March 24th, 2024 at 8:51 am
Great insite. Im glad hes been here to see better days and better times
March 24th, 2024 at 8:58 am
Went to the draft party when they drafted him . Bought his jersey the day it came out and still wear it on game day to this day . Was my favorite player at Nebraska and is still my favorite player .
March 24th, 2024 at 9:24 am
Those years are why I think licht still has some work to do to get back to even in my book.
March 24th, 2024 at 9:34 am
How many times do you think among astute thinkers and observers did the topic of conversation revolve around those putrid Buc uniforms. When they were introduced and unveiled I thought the designer had had one too many before the rendering deadline. As a graphic designer myself the final approval by the Glazers is very much bitter sweet. What the hell were they thinking, the uniforms were very much a part of the lost decade. I wonder how thorough were the actual sale tracking comps from this debacle. I actually still see people wearing this garb at Buc games, priceless.
March 24th, 2024 at 9:50 am
I’m so glad we are in brighter days. If a really good guy and consummate professional like Lavontae David can bring this to light, we all need to check ourselves for how success as well as failure on the job affects us. Not just us but our friends, families, and colleagues. We never know what others are going through
March 24th, 2024 at 10:25 am
Lavonte David > Luke Keuchly, Bobby Wagner, Brian Urlacher, Patrick Willis, Demario Davis
March 24th, 2024 at 10:45 am
Trust me, Yeah they get paid handsomely. But you have no idea the emotional rollercoaster these guys go thru. One of my HS friends played linebacker for the Bucs during the early days, He was quite the Jekel and Hyde. Walks with a cane now.
March 24th, 2024 at 11:25 am
I think this is actually the case for most NFL starters.
I’m a little surprised it’s not more known that most players can’t easily turn on and off the emotions we see on GameDay. That level of compartmentalization isn’t normal.
March 24th, 2024 at 11:37 am
Thinking we may actually see that (not often) when players do something untoward.
For the commenters earlier, Joe can honestly say he doesn’t recall the last time he heard a professional athlete *publicly admit* that his family may have bore some of the brunt of his frustration to losing. That doesn’t mean Joe thinks these guys are robots. Just that Joe cannot recall a professional athlete admitting this in such a public forum.
If that makes Joe some sort of ass, then Joe is an ass. This is not to be anti-Lavonte David in any way, shape or form.
March 24th, 2024 at 12:36 pm
LVD needs to bring back the closed-fist punch fumble. He hasn’t been doing it lately. He just drags his arms down the players chest now. That closed fist punch seems to generate more fumbles. I love when he does it. He’s so aware of the situation and need for the turnover.
March 24th, 2024 at 1:37 pm
This is proof this man is all in. He takes losing personally. I hate that it took a toll on his family, but I love the passion.
March 25th, 2024 at 1:52 pm
Winning can cure a lot of ills. Glad to have you back and let’s hope you retire a Buccaneer. Cheers.