J.J. Watt: “Lavonte David Criminally Underrated”
April 8th, 2025
When legends of the game start calling out the clowns who decide Pro Bowls and other awards, it’s time folks need to straighten up and heed the words.
Not long ago, one of the greatest linebackers to play the game, Luke Kuechly, came to Bucs great Lavonte David’s defense about all the Pro Bowls that David has been shafted out of.
Yeah, yeah. The Pro Bowl sucks. It’s terrible. Who cares? Well, players care. First off, Joe doesn’t think there is a player in the NFL who doesn’t have some sort of bonus tied to his contract if he gets named to the Pro Bowl.
Additionally, while it bends the very premise of reason and logic, the crowd that determines who is enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame cares. They consider Pro Bowl appearances as real criteria in order to get into Canton.
That may be backwards thinking and twisted logic but it’s still very much real. So the imbeciles that always shat on David for the Pro Bowl very possibly could have doomed his changes for the Hall of Fame — even though David’s numbers rank better or on par with his contemporaries, including Kuechly.
Add another NFL legend to David’s vocal supporters. Soon-to-be Hall of Famer J.J. Watt spoke out in David’s defense.
Aaron Schatz, the creator of DVOA, took to Twitter Monday afternoon and cited a little-used defensive stat he likes to lean on called “defeats.” This measures the times a defender forces or grabs a takeaway, gets a tackle for loss or gets a stop preventing a conversion on third and/or fourth downs.
Since Schatz has been monitoring “defeats,” David regularly shows up as a leader. In fact, the only player who has had more than David in a season, when he racked up 50 defeats in 2013, was Watt himself in 2012.
In fact, David had more defeats in 2013 than Bucs legend Derrick Brooks had in 1999, when the Bucs’ defense played some of the best defense you will ever see.
Watt retweeted Schatz’s info not to gloss himself but to call out the jackasses who constantly shat on David. He typed, “Lavonte David criminally underrated.”
Bucs fans know this. The giants of the game who played defense know this. But it seems the NFL at large doesn’t have a clue.
Maybe if enough people holler this, it will get through for some thick skulls.
(If Watt and Schatz’s Twitter, which includes defeat stats, doesn’t appear below, click here.)
Lavonte David criminally underrated. https://t.co/Nu4soHNfGv
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) April 7, 2025
April 8th, 2025 at 7:41 am
Make sure Ira gets this info!
April 8th, 2025 at 8:07 am
“David’s numbers rank right up with, if not better, than his contemporaries, including Kuechly.”
Luke Kuechly
1090 Tackles (690 solo), 18 Ints, 66 PDs, 12.5 sacks, 31 QB hits, 75 TFLs, 7 FF, 9 FR – 7 Pro Bowls, 7 All Pros (1st or 2nd)
Lavonte David
1602 Tackles (1111 solo), 13 Ints, 70 PDs, 39 sacks, 73 QB hits, 169 TFLs, 31FF, 19 FR – 1 Pro Bowl, 3 All Pros (1st or 2nd)
April 8th, 2025 at 8:14 am
Pickgrin, yeah, I think those stats you laid down say it all. David is a baller and has been grossly underappreciated by NFL fans outside Buc Nation.
April 8th, 2025 at 8:16 am
I don’t think there’s ever been a football player that existed with a a gap as large between their playing ability and their notoriety as Lavonte David.
April 8th, 2025 at 8:29 am
Unfortunately there is no justice. There is no fairness. Merit has no consideration. One more Super Bowl win might help. We do have a shot with a good draft.
April 8th, 2025 at 8:30 am
Now let us ponder this: What if Lavonte had been a huge all about me guy before, during, and after games making a huge effort to refocus any and all attention on himself does that change the perception and create more honors due to that increased notoriety??????
April 8th, 2025 at 8:36 am
Yep I’ve always said that, too! He’s never gotten enough credit & all. I’m sure if he was playing somewhere else he would be getting more credit.
April 8th, 2025 at 8:40 am
LD54
Currently:
8th all time most Tackles (1602) – will be 7th and possibly 6th by end of 2025
5th all time most solo tackles (1111) – will be 4th by end of 2025
9th all time most TFLs (169) – will be 4th by end of 2025
April 8th, 2025 at 8:56 am
Absolutely it does.
April 8th, 2025 at 9:00 am
Get the feeling that all the yelling, screaming & gnashing of teeth in Tampa Bay won’t make a peehole in the snow difference when it comes time for Lavonte to be considered for the HOF. His numbers will speak for themselves, and how well the Bucs did with him as a primary leader will also speak volumes.
Best way to significantly improve the odds of LVD making it into the HOF between now & then is for Lavonte to have yet another great year AND for our Bucs to win the Super Bowl this year, with LVD’s leadership recognized as being essential to that endeavor. And if he wants to play yet another year and add yet another Super Bowl victory, then great. That’s the cherry on the hot fudge sundae.
April 8th, 2025 at 9:06 am
It also didn’t hurt that Keuchly played on a team with Cam Newton his entire career, so the national media had Carolina in the spotlight. Who were Lavonte’s QBs from 2011 to 2019?
April 8th, 2025 at 9:55 am
Should go without saying that Lavonte David is easily one of the greatest players in the history of this franchise. One of the greatest LB’s in the history of the league. He’s not a media darling (have I mentioned lately how much I dislike the national sports media) and is not considered a dazzling interview. Compare Lavonte to Warren Sapp. Sapp was a great player. No question about that. Probably my all time favorite Bucs player. When it comes to gaining the national media spotlight very few have ever done it better. He was a first ballot Hall of Fame player. Two great players with a contrast in style. Will Lavonte be first ballot? No idea. Will he be inducted at all. Would be a “criminal” if he wasn’t. Which brings us back to the national sports media.
April 8th, 2025 at 10:13 am
I remember Joe pining for Lavonte out of Nebraska iover a decade ago, and we got him! He did the same for Godwin. Good stuff, call your shot again Joe!
Lavonte is unbelievable. Schiano knows defense and he picked arguably are greatest LB not named Brooks. Looking at Lavonte’s numbers are insane. For an off the ball LB to have more TFLs than some of the HoF D-Linemen of his time is truly remarkable. He’s such a stud and I hope we can send him and Evans out with one more chip. Would be epic.
April 8th, 2025 at 10:21 am
Thanks for the stats Pickgrin, and DR it’s a shame that LaVonte may need another Super Bowl to confirm his status. Sage, shout it from the rooftops! David is criminally underrated. I’ve already decided the pro bowl is a farce. I’d hate to decide that the HOF is a farce but that’ll be my decision if they bypass LaVonte.
April 8th, 2025 at 10:25 am
13 QBs in the history of our game have thrown for 40 tds in a season and Baker didn’t make the Pro Bowl last year. That’s a farce too, even though he backed in when Nix withdrew.
April 8th, 2025 at 11:12 am
Lavonte is just very special in so many ways. I would love to see him stay in the organization in any capacity when he retires.
April 8th, 2025 at 11:32 am
how many games played per that Luke vs David stat
April 8th, 2025 at 11:36 am
Kenton. Ok with you supporting Baker making Pro Bowl. Nix was an AFC guy. Baker got in when Jayden Daniels withdrew.
Last year the original three guys in the NFC were Goff, Daniels and Darnold.
Last year, I have no problem with Jared Goff or Daniels for the NFC.
The question to me was why Sam Darnold was taken over Jalen Hurts or Baker Mayfield.
April 8th, 2025 at 11:41 am
By the way Kenton. The pro bowl voting is done two weeks before the end of the season.
Baker had 7 TDs in the last two games to 3 for Darnold.
And actually both Darnold and Baker got voter sympathy for come back player of the year. Baker got it in 2023 voting. Darnold got it in 2024 voting.
Known fact – Darnold’s 2024 numbers were better than Baker’s 2023 numbers.
April 8th, 2025 at 12:17 pm
JJ Watt was an absolute beast in Houston with the Texans. Too bad they never achieved anything while he was there. Kinda like what’s happening to Myles Garrett.
April 8th, 2025 at 12:38 pm
geno711 asked a couple of days ago why I am pushing for the 4-3 defensive scheme. Here is why:
I like the 4-3 played as a wide 9 up front. 2Edge, 2 DT, 2 Lb, 5 secondary with the Edges lining up outside the OT’s so they can can up the field quicker. Idea is to put constant pressure on QB on passing downs and contain on running downs. This system maximizes use of man to man coverage and little or no zone.
If there is an NFL team that plays zone well, who would that be? I know for sure it is not Tampa.
April 8th, 2025 at 12:39 pm
yeah a 2nd ring for lavonte would basically get him in at this point with no questions asked…
also the team should shine a little more light on lavonte in this big 50th season
April 8th, 2025 at 12:53 pm
geno711 thanks, someone needs to straighten me out sometimes. But if Mayfield isn’t one of the 3 best QBs in the NFC that’s a farce in my opinion. I will say Daniels may be the best QB in the whole league within a few years.
April 8th, 2025 at 1:02 pm
ewww…slow down on daniels…let’s see how he rocks out in season number 2…the season that a lot of players simply come back down to earth…
see cj stroud
April 8th, 2025 at 2:37 pm
In fact, Lavonte David is almost criminally underrated by our own fanbase!
His stat sheet IMO puts him on par with the great Derrick Brooks.
Brooks has more tackles.
David has more sacks.
Brooks has more interceptions and pick sixes.
David has more forced fumbles and fumble recoveries.
Brooks has more passes defensed.
David has more TFLs. (almost as good as sacks)
Brooks spent most (all?) of his career playing under a true defensive guru/genius at DC
David has spent his career playing under a carousel of DCs, some of whom were in the running to be the worst the NFL has ever seen.
The biggest difference between the two is Brooks’ booming voice that demands attention.
Just a guess, but I think both of them might just argue that the other one is the better player.
Both are equally deserving of the Hall of Fame
April 8th, 2025 at 2:41 pm
Gipper:
4-3 Eagles last year – you have a winning formula.
Not so much 4-3 last year with Dallas or San Fran or Cleveland or Cincinnati.
Those teams had Parsons, Bosa, Garrett, and Hendrickson as star pass rushers.
Those teams gave up a lot more points than we did.
A few things can be true:
1. Our defense needs to get better
and
2. Thinking that going to a 4-3 defense makes a team better is a huge over simplification.
3. Lots of ways to win in the NFL.
History has shown us:
A) In 2020 and 2021 — Tampa had one of the best defenses and it was 3-4 base.
B) Pittsburgh has had superior defenses many times utilizing the 3-4 base.
C) New England won multiple Super Bowls with concepts very similar to Todd Bowles and his 3-4 base sets.
I appreciate the discourse. The Bucs defense has to be better this year than last year.
P.S. To “This system maximizes use of man to man coverage and little or no zone.” Most teams whether in the 4-3 or 3-4 base play zone coverage on more snaps than man to man. If there is one team that you think plays man coverage over 50% of the time — let us know.
April 8th, 2025 at 3:05 pm
LAVONTE DAVID IS A HALL OF FAMER.
April 8th, 2025 at 5:18 pm
Lavonte is a hall of fame talent who was hidden on bad teams in a “non media darling” market for nearly a decade and by the time his team was visible he was an afterthought. Absolutely one of the most underrated players in nfl history in my memory.
April 8th, 2025 at 10:34 pm
geno711,
Eagles played 41% zone in 2024. Denver played 39% zone. I am guessing that when they played zone it was to “rest” their corners. Most of the time they played man. Browns were forced into more zone last year because of injuries. In 2023 when Browns defense was great they were a 4-3 team with mainly man coverage. Jim Schwartz, Browns DC, is an outstanding coach who likes to man up.
April 9th, 2025 at 12:57 am
Been saying this same thing for years. His stats speak for themselves, despite the lack of pro bowls / all pros.
Win another SB, and he’ll be a lock for the HOF, Pro Bowls be damned.