Selected by Tampa Bay in the second round (58th overall) of the 2012 NFL Draft.
2013 AP All-Pro First-Team Selection.
2016 AP All-Pro Second-Team Selection
NFC Defensive Player of the Week (Week 12, 2013).
NFC Defensive Player of the Week (Week 10, 2015).
USA Today All-Joe Team (2012, 2013).
2012 PFW/PFWA All-Rookie Team.
NFC Defensive Rookie Of The Month (November 2012).
Has started all 105 games that he has played, totaling 884 tackles, including 106 for loss, 38 passes defensed, 21.5 sacks, 10 interceptions (2 return TDs), 18 forced fumbles, 13 fumble recoveries (1 return TD) and one safety.
One of two players in NFL history (Brian Urlacher) to record 800+ tackles, 20+ sacks and 10+ interceptions in first seven seasons.
Has served as Buccaneers Captain from 2014-18.
Ranks first the NFL in solo tackles (641), third in total tackles (884), and tied for second in tackles for loss (106) among all NFL players since entering the league in 2012.
Only NFL player with 20+ sacks and 10+ interceptions since start of 2012 season.
Since 2012, ranks third among NFL linebackers in interceptions with 10 and tied for fth among linebackers with two interceptions returned for touchdowns. Also during that span, ranks tied for sixth among all players with 18 forced fumbles and first with 13 opponent fumble recoveries.
Has scored 20 points (3 TDs, 1 safety) since entering the league in 2012, the sixth-most among all front-seven players. Since start of 2015 season, is tied for seventh among all defensive players in return touchdowns with three.
Since start of 2015 season, only NFL player to record 400+ tackles, 10+ sacks and 4+ interceptions, while leading the NFL with 11 opponent fumble recoveries and ranking fourth with 12 forced fumbles.
Leads all NFL players in forced fumbles since 2014 (16).
Leads all NFL players in fumble recoveries since 2012 (13), 2013 (13), 2014 (12), 2015 (11), 2016 (9), and 2017 (7).
His 13 career fumble recoveries are a Buccaneers franchise record.
His five fumble recoveries in 2017 are a Buccaneers single-season franchise record.
Recorded first fumble recovery return touchdown when he stripped Larry Fitzgerald, scooped the football and continued 21 yards for the score, at Arizona (10/15/17)
In 2016, tied for NFL lead, and most among linebackers, with 17 tackles for loss.
Garnered Associated Press Second-Team All-Pro honors following the 2016 season.
Named to first Pro Bowl following the 2015 season when he ranked third in the league in tackles (147) and added three sacks, three interceptions, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 13 passes defensed (most among NFL linebackers).
Named Associated Press All-Pro First-Team following 2013 season when he ranked fth in the NFL in both tackles (143) tackles and interceptions (5). Added a safety, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and 10 passes defensed,
Tied for league lead with 14.5 run stuffs in 2013, according to STATS, Inc., and ranked third in the NFL in tackles for loss (20), behind Robert Quinn and J.J. Watt.
Ranked by Pro Football Focus as the No. 1 run stuffing outside linebacker and finished with the third-most quarterback pressures (sacks, QB hits, hurries) at the position.
Only NFL player with 125+ tackles and 6+ sacks in 2013.
One of only two players since 1982 to record at least 7.0 sacks and five interceptions in the same season (S Dave Duerson).
Earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week for Week 12 of 2013.
In 2012, led the Buccaneers in tackles as a rookie, posting 139 tackles, tied for the seventh-most in the NFL. Also posted 112 solo tackles, the second-most in the league.
Named to USA Today’s All-Joe Team in both 2012 & 2013.
Selected to PFW/PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2012.
Earned NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month in
Only linebacker in Buccaneers history with two multiple-interception games.
Scored first career touchdown on a 20-yard interception return (Mark Sanchez) in win at Philadelphia (11/22/15).
Registered his first career interception (Peyton Manning) at Denver (12/2/12).
Notched his first career sack vs. Philadelphia (12/9/12).
Started in his NFL debut against Carolina (9/9/12).
Elected defensive captain by teammates for the fifth consecutive season.
Started all 14 games that he played.
Led team with 120 tackles, including 13 for loss, while adding 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, and two passes defensed.
One of six NFL players with 120+ tackles and 3+ sacks.
Led team with nine tackles and season-opening win at New Orleans (9/9).
Led team with nine tackles, while recording a pass defensed and recovering a fumble, which gave him 12 for his career, tying a Buccaneers all-time record.
Led team with nine tackles, including three for loss, vs. Pittsburgh (9/27).
Notched six tackles, including one for loss, at Chicago (9/30).
Logged six tackles, including one for loss, and a quarterback hit at Atlanta (10/14).
Led team with eight tackles, including two for loss, and forced a fumble out of bounds on fourth down, ending a drive, in win vs. Cleveland (10/21).
Led team with eight tackles, including two for loss, at Cincinnati (10/28).
Posted eight tackles and a half-sack at Carolina (11/4).
Recorded seven tackles vs. Washington (11/11).
Inactive at New York Giants (11/18) and vs. San Francisco (11/25) with a knee injury.
Returned to action in win vs. Carolina (12/2), leading team with 12 tackles and posting a sack and pass defensed. His pass breakup was intercepted by teammate Andrew Adams.
Led team with 10 tackles vs. New Orleans (12/9).
Led team with 12 tackles, while matching a career high with two sacks and adding a fumble recovery, at Baltimore (12/16).
Collected five tackles, including to for loss, at Dallas (12/23).
Led team with 10 tackles vs. Atlanta (12/30).
Started all 27 games he played in at Nebraska (2010-11), recording 285 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, two interceptions, 12 passes defensed, three forced fumbles and two fumbles recovered.
In 2011, earned first-team All-American honors from the American Football Coaches Association, CBS and ESPN.
Also earned first-team All-Big Ten accolades (coaches, media, ESPN.com, Yahoo.com, Phil Steele).
Was a finalist for the Butkus Award (Top Linebacker), semi finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award (Top Defensive Player) and semi finalist for the Lott Trophy (Top Defensive IMPACT Player) in 2011.
Named the 2011 Butkus-Fitzgerald Big Ten Linebacker of the Year and Nebraska team MVP.
2011 Guy Chamberlin Award Winner for his play and contributions to the betterment of the University of Nebraska football team.
As a senior, led Nebraska with 133 tackles and ranked third in the Big Ten in tackles per game.
Also led Nebraska in tackles for loss (13.0), sacks (5.5), interceptions (2), forced fumbles (2) and fumble recoveries (2) in 2011.
In 2010, set a school record with 152 tackles.
His 285 career tackles rank fourth in school history, and most by a two-year player.
Recorded a career-high 19 tackles in one game against South Dakota State, the seventh-most in school history.
Was named first-team All-American (Rivals.com and CBS), unanimous first-team Big 12 and Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, as selected by the coaches, in 2010.
Prior to his time at Nebraska, led Fort Scott Community College (Fort Scott, Kansas) to the Junior College National Championship Game, while ranking among the conference’s leaders in tackles and tackles for loss.
Was named Defensive MVP of the JUCO National Championship Game.
Two-time first-team All-Jayhawk Conference selection and a Region VI All-American in 2009.
During his first season at Fort Scott, led the Jayhawk Conference with 93 tackles.
Majored in criminology and criminal justice.
In October 2016, joined teammates and the entire Buccaneers business operations staff for the team’s “Hometown Huddle”, helping to refurbish the Sulphur Springs K-8 School and Community Center and interact with students.
In June 2016, was named a national ambassador and BIG Champion for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, with the mission of creating more matches between children and caring, adult mentors across the United States.
In May 2016, helped dedicate a Buccaneers Academy at Bevis Elementary School, which was awarded a Fitness Zone and also presented with a special assembly and P.E. equipment for winning the 2016 Play 60 Challenge.
In November 2015 and 2016, hosted a bowling event to bene t Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay.
In July 2015, hosted his inaugural free backpack and school supply donation to youth in his hometown of Miami, FL.
In June 2015, had his head shaved by children battling cancer as part of the Buccaneers Cut for a Cure to raise funds and awareness for the Pediatric Cancer Foundation.
Paired up with United Way volunteers and students to install a “Learning Garden” at Edison Elementary in October 2013 and at Davis Elementary in September 2015.
Led students through football drills and promoted the importance of health and fitness for the opening of Buccaneers Academy Fitness Zones at Foster Elementary in September 2012 and Sulphur Springs Elementary in December 2012.
As a member of the Buccaneers Rookie Club in 2012, visited youth at All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg and sang holiday carols to residents at Westminster Palms retirement home, visited MacDill Air Force Base to thank civilian workers and active duty military for their service, helped host a lunch for service members at Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater and visited veterans recovering from injury and illness at Bay Pines VA Hospital, hosted an educational scavenger hunt for children from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay at Busch Gardens Tampa, and greeted patients at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in May 2012.
Volunteered time while at Nebraska with team hospital visits and the Husker Heroes program.
Attended Northwestern High School (Miami, Florida).
Won back-to-back Florida state titles in 2006 and 2007, while finishing with undefeated records both years.
Son of the late Lynette David.
Born Lavonte David on January 23, 1990, in Miami, Florida.
