Could a Buccaneers franchise legend retire after 2025 NFL season?

Linebacker Lavonte David has been synonymous with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for most of his career, and he's set to enter his 14th season with the Bucs in 2025. For the past few years, David has made sure to stay on one-year deals in case the given season he's playing could be his last, and it begs the question — is 2025 the year?

David will once again start for the Buccaneers this year, and he'll be playing alongside the much-younger SirVocea Dennis and one of his good friends in linebacker Anthony Walker Jr., who is also from Miami. David will be 35 this season and could turn 36 during a potential Bucs playoff run in January, so while every season could be David's last at this stage of his career,

CBS Sports analyst Tyler Sullivan went over 10 NFL players who could be set to retire in 2025, and he predicted that David will indeed call it quits after this season.

"David re-signed with the Buccaneers on a one-year deal earlier this offseason, so the 35-year-old will be gearing up for his 14th season in the NFL. Similar to Wagner, David is still playing at a tremendously high level, totaling at least 122 tackles in each of the last three seasons. His Buccaneers are also among the bigger threats in the NFC and are the betting favorite to once again win the NFC South, which would ensure another playoff berth. All that pointed to him returning for 2025, but beyond that is a serious question. David would be looking at his age-36 season in 2026, so this could very well be the last ride."

David has still been a big producer for the Bucs in a few key areas. He still managed 122 tackles last year with three fumbles and 5.5 sacks, which proves that he can still move sideline to sideline and make plays on the ballcarrier when the team needs it. That being said, he's slowing down in other areas — his coverage grade with Pro Football Focus was a 56.9, the lowest of his career, and his tackling grade dropped sharply to a 47.6. David's instincts and ball knowledge remain unrivaled among current NFL linebackers, but he's certainly slowed down a step physically.

The way David plays in 2025 and the outcome of Tampa Bay's season could both end up contributing to this decision either way, so for now, we'll just have to see. But David likely won't be playing for much longer, and he'll do his best to try and help Tampa Bay bring home another championship ring before he retires.

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