We talk all the time about how Lavonte David is as underrated as it gets at not just inside linebacker, but at any position in the NFL. What we don’t discuss enough is the overall evolution of the Bucs’ legendary linebacker going form a 4-3 inside linebacker to a 3-4 linebacker that eventually was wearing the green dot and calling the plays for Tampa Bay’s defense.
It’s known that two players – one on offense and one defense – have the green dot on their helmet and are allowed to receive verbal calls via radio from the sidelines or the coaches booth. On offense it’s the quarterback. On defense it’s generally the middle linebacker. On occasion, David has worn the green dot on his helmet because of his veteran status, but as it turns out, he’s not really a big fan of it when it was bestowed on him by head coach and defensive play-caller Todd Bowles.
David had a great interview with former Bucs Super Bowl XXXVII-winning head coach Jon Gruden on Gruden’s show for Barstool Sports – “Gruden Goes Long.” This is where he explained why he prefers not to call plays on defense.
Lavonte David Doesn’t Enjoy The Green Dot
“I don’t like it,” Lavonte David told Jon Gruden. “Just because I’m the type of player, a lot of stuff goes through my mind when I get the play, when I get the call. When I don’t have it (the green dot) I like to study the personnel. When I don’t have it I’m looking at the sideline, looking at the offense coming in, looking at what personnel they got in, looking at what type of guys they got coming in, studying body language and things like that. Doing all that type of stuff.
Bucs ILB Lavonte David and Eagles TE Dallas Goedert – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
“I kind of fast forward myself to be able to anticipate what’s coming, being able to break down what I remember from film when they’re in this personnel or that personnel, when this guys in or that guys in.”
David continued.
“When I’ve got the green dot I’m trying to do all of that and get 10 guys the call, and you got guys saying ‘Hey, what’s the call?’ Some guys forget. It slows you down. That’s kind of why I don’t really want to wear it, but at the same time, when I do have it I take pride in it.”
Ever the leader of the Bucs defense, David embraced the role as he mentioned. He takes it personally on whether the defense is successful in each game.
“If the defense does good, I put it on me,” David said. “If the defense does bad, I put it on me. I give myself a challenge, I would say.”
Communication Between Bucs’ Lavonte David and Todd Bowles
There’s been help in recent years from a continuity standpoint with Todd Bowles calling the plays on defense from 2019-21 and then becoming head coach in 2022. He’ll tell Lavonte David certain things to look for while talking to him in the helmet. It’s a little bit of a cheat sheet that gives him an extra piece of information to utilize before the ball is snapped.
“Coach Bowles is talking to me,” David said. “He’s a smart guy. He’s giving you the defensive call and also telling you ‘Hey, tell such and such to watch for this. Tell so and so to watch for that.’”
Jon Gruden asked David to give us an example of what Bowles is like when he’s calling out a play, so David gave his Bowles impersonation when he’s talking to him.
“Here we go, here we go. They’re out here in 12 personnel so we’re going to (gives play call). They got such and such at the tight end, you might get a run play right here but tell [Jamel] Dean to press on the outside.”
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles and ILB Lavonte David – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
There are times when there’s almost too much information for David. That’s when he lets Bowles know he’s got it under control.
“I just put a thumbs up and he’ll understand.”
Bowles was asked about it this week and had his own comical reply.
“He waves me off, I give him the finger [laughs],” Bowles said with a laugh. “They kind of work well together. That’s never happened – I was joking, in case anybody wants to put that in there. It was a joke.”
David has seen a lot of different defenses in his career, but none like the kind that Bowles has operated while in Tampa.
“It’s a lot,” David said. “It’s a very complex defense.”
Check the almost hour-long conversation between Lavonte David and Jon Gruden where they talk a ton about football and the Buccaneers on the show.
