Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Lavonte David gets his degree

Over the weekend, linebacker extraordinaire Lavonte David of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers officially finished college. David originally signed on with Middle Tennessee State out of high school, but then decided to attend Fort Scott Community College in Fort Scott, Kansas, before ultimately transferring to Nebraska to become a Cornhusker.

Now, David has gone back to the University of Nebraska, the same school where he gained recognition on the football field and received his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

With his graduation coming the weekend of Mother’s Day, David knew he needed to do something special to celebrate this special achievement. David’s mother, Lynette, unfortunately, passed away in 2016, and David honored her with a breathtaking tribute on his sash. You can see a photo of the tribute and David courtesy of ESPN’s Buccaneers reporter for NFL Nation Jenna Laine:

The captain of the Buccaneers defense now has a college degree to add to his off-the-field resume to go along with his increasingly staggering on-the-field one. He shined in front of the world in Super Bowl LV, and now shined on a much smaller stage of the classroom. With the majority of players opting out of their final year of college football eligibility, or leaving before graduation in favor of declaring for the NFL Draft, it’s always refreshing to see a player go back and finish their education.

This accomplishment is a testament to David’s character, and we are beyond thrilled for him. This being Mother’s Day, it’s only fitting that today we give the longest-tenured Buccaneers player on the current roster in David the recognition this accomplishment deserves. David being able to honor his mother in this way with his new degree is further proof that the universe always ends up having a plan, no matter how easy or difficult. From us at the Pewter Plank, and on behalf of Buccaneers fans everywhere, congratulations Lavonte David.