The newly retired Lavonte David has recently made some headlines by openly questioning whether he called it a career a year too early.
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David, who spent his entire legendary 14-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers,lamented the fact that he won't get to play with Bucs' rookie edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr., whom he believes is going to be a great player.
While David was mostly joking about the possibility of ending his retirement to play with Bain, it has led many people to wonder if that could actually happen.
David seems to have made peace with his retirement, though his love for the game has caused him to express an interest in coaching at some point. However, that won't stop fans from hoping he changes his mind and rejoins the team in 2026.
Even though it is a long shot, could David really come out of retirement for the Bucs this season?
Ashlie Abrahams of Buccaneer Wire is asking the same question and believes Bucs' fans shouldn't be holding their breath.
Abrahams Does Think David Can Still Play
Even though she doesn't believe he will actually unretire, Abrahams does think David can still play, comparing his situation to that of Brandon Graham, who came out of retirement to rejoin the Philadelphia Eagles towards the end of last season.
"Former Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham announced his retirement before ultimately returning late in the season to join the team for another Super Bowl run. His comeback showed that retirement doesn't always have to be permanent, especially for veteran players who still feel they have something left to offer. David certainly fits part of that mold.
"Even at 36 years old, he was still playing at a high level before calling it a career. His instincts, leadership, and football IQ never diminished, and those traits don't simply disappear because a player retires. If the Buccaneers suffered injuries at linebacker or found themselves making a legitimate Super Bowl push late in the season, it's easy to see why fans would wonder if David could answer the call."
She's right. Players deciding to retire and then having a change of heart have become much more common over the last few years.
Former Bucs' quarterback Tom Brady announced his retirement in 2022, but then did a complete 180 not very long afterwards. Brady treated retirement more like giving up football for Lent, returning to Tampa 40 days after announcing he was done.
Don't bet on David doing the same.
Tampa Has Moved On
Perhaps the most important reason for a potential David return being such a long shot is that Tampa has already moved on from the future Hall of Famer.
The Bucs aggressively added to their linebacker room over the offseason, adding Alex Anzalone in free agency and then drafting Josiah Trotter in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Anzalone represents the present of Tampa's MIKE linebackers, while Trotter represents the future.
Anzalone was also called "a significant improvement" over David, after a season in which the latter was called out by teammates for not giving maximum effort on the field.
Even if David's motor has been recharged with the time away from football, the Bucs have already strengthened the position.
Final Thoughts
David is much more likely to return to Tampa's defense as a coach someday than as a player.
While the thought of him returning as the player he was during his prime is enticing, it is more of a pipe dream than a reality.
David is at peace with his decision, and fans should be, too.
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