When Lavonte David sat down for a media session at the AdventHealth Training Center auditorium on March 24, it wasn’t with the usual feel-good vibe he’s so renowned for. Instead, the air felt stuffy, David’s eye seemed sorrowful and the entire room seemed to sense something was about to unfold. Something no one was ready for. Minutes later, the linebacker adjusted the mic in front of his face and announced he’s decided to retire.

It’s time,” he said. “I’ve been playing football since I was 6 years old. Thirty years straight of football. I never missed a year. A lot of time, man. When it’s time, when you know, you know. I always wanted to be a guy who wanted to retire on my own terms. Right now is the perfect opportunity for that. I give glory to God for me to be able to play football for this long.

“For me, man, 14 years [in the NFL] is enough. I’m comfortable with my decision. I’m satisfied with my career. When I first got into the league, I never, never, ever in a million years expected to play 14 years at a high level for the same organization. And it’s something that doesn’t come around often. I think it’s time that I hang it up and let the next generation of players come in and take over the game.”

But David also made sure the day was not about him. With his family—his two brothers, one sister and three-year-old daughter Logan—in attendance, the future Hall of Famer began his speech by addressing his deceased parents.

“This is how I always get when I talk about my parents,” he said through tears. “Everybody has parents, but you don’t understand how much they meant to me. You want to know why I grew up – it ain’t easy, it ain’t easy, but the found a way for me, and you don’t understand that until you’re older, until you have a kid of your own. The sacrifices they made for you, the things they did for you. I just think about my dad, the sacrifices he made.

Which is why David was almost sure he wouldn’t last much longer in NFL, when his parents passed away, especially his mother Lynette in 2016.

“When my mom passed away in 2016, I didn’t care about football no more,” David revealed somberly. “I didn’t want to play no more. I wanted to just give it up, because honestly I didn’t have a reason no more. I was doing everything I was doing because I wanted to make all her dreams come true. From then on I was just working to make her life easier, make her life happy. And the day that she passed away, I thought I lost it all.”

Unfortunately, when Lynette passed away, David had yet to taste success with less than five wins on average per season. The only respite was at least the Pro Bowler could to gift his father, Edward, a Super Bowl LV win. Just five months later, Edward passed away.

But with a strong support system, including then-teammate Gerald McCoy who “went through that earlier in his football journey”, it wasn’t long before David held the league captive with his performances.

At the time of this writing, the potentia; Hall of Famer is sitting on a staggering 1,714 tackles and 12 100-tackle season, while ranking first in Bucs history with 33 forced fumbles, 21 fumbles recovered, 177 tackles for loss, 1,172 solo tackles and 79 QB hits.

In fact, in his final game, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers star also equaled Derrick Brooks as the team’s all-time leader in tackles. Starting all 215 games for the bucs, he also joins Hall of Famers Brian Urlacher and Ray Lweis as the only players with at least 40 tackles and 35 takeaways since 1982.

Maxx Crosby, Baker Mayfield, and others shower tribute to Lavonte David

The edge rusher Maxx Crosby is eight years junior to the Bucs legend, but as a fellow defensive player, he certainly has the highest respect for him. On his Instagram post, the Raiders star acknowledged his future Hall of Fame status.

“Legend. Next stop… Cantin,” wrote Crosby.

The Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield shared the same locker room with Lavonte David for three seasons. Lauding his leadership quality, the 30-year-old also congratulated the linebacker in an emotional Instagram post.

“Thank you, L.D., for being an incredible leader and presence in my life,” wrote Mayfield. “I got to watch and respect your game from afar for years… Then, when I got to Tampa, I quickly realized you’re an even better man than the Hall of Fame player you have been for 14 years. Hell of a career, and blessed to call you a friend. Always in your corner, Old Man.”

The legendary Buccaneers wide receiver, Mike Evans, who spent twelve NFL seasons along with David, was seemingly emotional after hearing the news.

“Best Buc of all time! “Happy Retirement, Champ!” noted Evans on the retirement post on Instagram.

The current Kansas City Chiefs safety, Mike Edwards, debuted with the Buccaneers, spending four seasons with the team. While a senior by experience, the linebacker was his favorite teammate, which he revealed following the retirement announcement.

“Greatest team, mate,” stated Mike Edwards in the comment section.

The Cincinnati Bengals linebacker, Brian Asamoah, never shared the locker room with the Buccaneers legend, but he certainly had a lot of admiration for him growing up, which was indicated in his retirement comment.

“THE GREATEST TO EVER DO IT,” noted Brian.

Lavonte David’s retirement marks the end of an era for the Buccaneers. Filling the void left by him will be an enormous challenge for the coach, Todd Bowles, next season.