Vita Vea

ACQUIRED BY BUCS:

Selected in the first round (12th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Buccaneers.

ACQUIRED BY BUCS:

Selected in the first round (12th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Buccaneers.

AWARDS & ACCOLADES:

Super Bowl LV Champion.

2x Pro Bowl Selection (2021, 2024).

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

Has started 107-of-112 games he has played, recording 256 tackles (48 for loss), 79 quarterback hits, 35.0 sacks, nine passes defensed, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.

Has played in eight postseason contests, with six starts, recording 11 tackles (two for loss), six quarterback hits and 2.5 sacks.

Ranks eighth in franchise history with 35.0 sacks.

Since 2019, leads all nose tackles with 32.0 sacks.

Recorded first career multi-sack game at Atlanta (12/5/21), with 2.0 sacks.

Registered first career fumble recovery against Chicago (10/24/21).

Scored first NFL touchdown when he caught a one-yard pass in a Buccaneers' win at Atlanta (11/24/19).

Recorded first career sack (Alex Smith) vs. Washington (11/11/18).

Made NFL debut at Chicago (9/30/18).

Made first career start in win vs. Cleveland (10/21/18).

2025 HIGHLIGHTS:

Was named a team captain for the 2025 season.

Started at nose tackle in the Week 1 victory in Atlanta, playing 54-of-76 defensive snaps and recording two tackles. Per Next Gen Stats, absorbed a team-high 18 double-team blocks.

In the Week 2 win at Houston, started at nose tackle and played 41-of-49 defensive snaps, finishing with three tackles.

Per Next Gen Stats, Tampa Bay limited the Texans to 3.4 yards per rush whenVea was on the field in Week 2.

Started at nose tackle in the Week 3 win over the New York Jets, playing 48-of-69 defensive snaps and recording two tackles and one pass defensed. Per Next Gen Stats, absorbed a team-high 13 double-team blocks.

In Week 4 vs. Philadelphia, recorded three tackles (two for loss), 2.0 sacks and two quarterback hits on the day.

Week 4 marked Vea's fifth career game with at least 2.0 sacks, and his first since Week 9 of the 2024 season at Kansas City.

With his two sacks in Week 4, he increased his career total to 32.5, with 29.5 coming since the start of the 2019 season – most among all nose tackles in the NFL at the time over that span.

Started at nose tackle in the Week 5 win at Seattle, playing 51-of-61 defensive snaps. Per Next Gen Stats, recorded a team-high four quarterback pressures, while absorbing a team-high 16 double-team blocks.

Per Pro Football Focus, Vea produced the highest pass rush grade of any Buccaneers defender in Week 5. His 89.9 pass rush grade was the third-highest among all interior defenders in the NFL in Week 5.

Started at nose tackle and played 50-of-69 defensive snaps in the Week 6 win over the 49ers, tallying four tackles, two quarterback hits and a half-sack.

Per Next Gen Stats, Vea generated five quarterback pressures while facing double-teams on 69.7% of dropbacks in Week 6. Despite the double-teams, Vea still generated two pressures and 0.5 sacks when doubled.

With Vea on the field in Week 6, the Buccaneers allowed only 36 yards on 14 rushes between the tackles (2.6 yards per carry).

In Week 7 at Detroit, started at nose tackle and played 55-of-68 defensive snaps, contributing three tackles (one for loss) and two quarterback hits. It marked the third time across four games between Weeks 4-7 that Vea recorded multiple quarterback hits.

Per Pro Football Focus, Vea was Tampa Bay's highest-graded defensive player in Week 7 at Detroit, earning a 73.0 overall grade.

Started at nose tackle and played 42-of-72 defensive snaps in the Week 8 win at New Orleans, logging one tackle and one pass defensed.

In Week 10 vs. New England, started at nose tackle and played 48-of-61 defensive snaps, logging two tackles and one quarterback hit. Per Next Gen Stats, Vita Vea tied a career-high with seven quarterback pressures on the day.

Started at nose tackle in Week 11 at Buffalo, playing 44-of-56 defensive snaps.

In Week 12 at the Los Angeles Rams, played 40-of-56 defensive snaps. Per Next Gen Stats, absorbed a team-high 18 double-team blocks.

Started at nose tackle in the Week 13 win over Arizona, playing 36-of-61 defensive snaps. He finished with two tackles (one for loss), three quarterback hits and 1.0 sack.

With his sack in Week 13, he increased his season total to 3.5 sacks and his career total to 34.0. In doing so, he surpassed Jason Pierre-Paul and Brad Culpepper (33.0) for sole possession of the ninth-most sacks in franchise history.

According to Next Gen Stats, Vea produced a team-high-tying five quarterback pressures in Week 13, including three "quick" (sub-2.5 second) pressures. He recorded a 2.62 second average time to pressure.

Per Pro Football Focus, Vea was Tampa Bay's second-highest graded defender in Week 13, earning a 79.5 overall grade.

In Week 14 vs. New Orleans, started at nose tackle and played 41-of-58 defensive snaps, recording a then-season-high five tackles (two for loss), adding 1.0 sack and one quarterback hit. It marked Vea's second game of the season with multiple tackles for loss.

With his sack in Week 14, Veasurpassed Chidi Ahanotu (34.5) for the eighth-most sacks in franchise history.

Started at nose tackle in Week 15 vs. Atlanta, playing 53-of-71 defensive snaps and recording one tackle and one quarterback hit. Also appeared on one offensive snap, playing fullback and providing the lead block for a Sean Tucker rushing touchdown.

Played 44-of-54 defensive snaps in Week 16 at Carolina, recording one quarterback hit and one pass defensed. Also appeared on one offensive snap.

In Week 17 at Miami, started at nose tackle and played 41-of-55 defensive snaps, finishing with three tackles.

Started at nose tackle in the Week 18 win over Carolina, playing 39-of-51 defensive snaps and recording three tackles (one for loss).

COLLEGE:

Played in 40 career games at Washington (2014-17), recording 100 tackles (15 for loss), 9.5 sacks, six passes defensed, two forced fumbles and two blocked kicks.

As a redshirt junior (2017), earned the Pac-12 Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year Award, as well as the Morris Trophy, given annually to the top defensive lineman in the Pac-12, as voted on by the conference's offensive linemen.

Named second-team All-American by USA Today, Sports Illustrated, SB Nation and The Athletic, while earning first-team All-Pac-12 Honors from both the league's coaches and the Associated Press. Was also a finalist for the Polynesian Player of the Year and was a Bednarik Award semifinalist.

Started all 13 games as a senior, recording 44 tackles (5.5 for loss), four passes defensed, 2.5 sacks and a blocked punt.

Helped anchor Washington's run defense, which ranked fourth in the NCAA in rushing yards allowed per game (100.9), while only allowing 2.86 yards per carry, the second-lowest mark in the NCAA.

Part of a Washington defense that allowed just 16.1 points per game, the fifth-best mark in the country, and allowed only 298.0 yards per game, the eighth-fewest in the NCAA.

Played in all 14 games, with five starts, as a redshirt sophomore (2016), tallying 39 tackles (6.5 for loss), 5.0 sacks, two passes defensed and a forced fumble.

As a redshirt freshman in 2015, played in 13 games, registering 17 tackles (three for loss), one forced fumble, one pass defensed and one sack.

Redshirted in 2014.

PERSONAL/COMMUNITY:

Attended Milpitas High School (Milpitas, California).

Played defensive line and running back in high school.

Named to MaxPreps.com All-NorCal first team and Division II all-state first-team as a senior, while also being named first-team All-Metro by the San Francisco Chronicle and the San Jose Mercury News.

Vea, along with the defensive linemen, hosted the 8th annual "D-Line Delivers Christmas". Local families were surprised with a tour of AdventHealth Training Center, dinner with D-Line, and a shopping spree at Target.