Lavonte David and Vita Vea are as close as teammates get. Close enough to know each other’s boundaries, and close enough to cross them with jokes.

During the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ clash with the Houston Texans, David had the perfect chance to flip momentum when C.J. Stroud floated a gift of a throw in the fourth quarter.

Instead, the Pro Bowl linebacker let the ball slip through his hands, drawing groans from fans and disbelief from teammates. And it clearly made Vita frustrated because the ball was floating in between his hands. But David jumped in between and fumbled. “That’s one even I could’ve made,” The Athletic’s reporter quipped as David hit the turf.

Weeks later, when Lavonte was on the Pat McAfee Show to share the moment, he said: “Vita Vea has been trash-talking me every day since I dropped that interception.” 

Vea wasn’t about to let it slide. He re-shared on X and captioned, “Still hurt about this,” a playful jab at David’s dropped interception in his 200th career game.

“Vita Vea has been trash-talking me every day since I dropped that interception.” 

The pass looked so easy that even the 350-pound nose tackle joked he could’ve hauled it in. David later laughed off the miss on the Pat McAfee Show, turning what could’ve been a haunting moment into just another running joke in the Bucs’ locker room.

Despite that moment, the Bucs secured a 20-19 victory over the Texans in Week 2, the game was a personal disappointment for Lavonte David. Especially, as it was his 200th NFL career game.

Lavonte David joins the Buccaneers’ Hall of Fame

But those moments suggest he’s a legend, not a superhuman. And legends do walk into Canton.

Lavonte David gave fans a scare this week when he popped up as a limited participant on Wednesday’s practice report with a knee injury. With a matchup against the Eagles looming in Week 4, questions swirled about whether the Pro Bowl linebacker would suit up.

David quickly quieted the noise, returning to full participation the very next day and officially clearing the team’s injury list.

That means he’s free to keep stacking numbers on what’s already been a monster start. Through three games, the 35-year-old has racked up 22 tackles and 1.5 sacks, setting the pace for what could be his fourth straight 100-tackle season. That kind of production cements his standing as one of the NFL’s rare linebackers who blend longevity with consistent impact.

And the history books already have his name etched in bold. In Week 2, David suited up for his 200th regular-season game, becoming just the 109th player in league history to hit 200 career starts.

So, he joined Buccaneers icons Rondé Barber and Derrick Brooks as the only players in franchise history to reach the 200-game or 200-start milestone. Proof enough that David’s legacy in Tampa is already Hall of Fame-worthy.