Lavonte David is a new man following his NFL retirement. After spending his 14-year career as a reserved, soft-spoken personality, David has come out of his shell and blessed fans with endless stories from his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In an appearance on The Arena: Gridiron alongside Gerald McCoy, David revealed that he almost fought a former Buccaneers coach.
Lavonte David almost fought Todd Monken during Bucs training camp
Todd Monken, now the head coach of the Cleveland Browns, coached in Tampa Bay from 2016-2018 as the wide receivers coach and offensive coordinator.
Apparently, David and Monken didn’t always have the strongest relationship, and they almost came to blows.
.@LavonteDavid54 tells a WILD story about when him and Todd Monken almost fought in training camp. 😳 pic.twitter.com/6jd56Ki4BR
— The Arena: Gridiron (@ArenaGridiron) April 3, 2026
Things got heated as the players were competing in training camp, and David found himself on the offensive side of the field, trash talking with wide receivers Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson.
He was told by Monken, “Go back over there, f*** boy,” which almost sparked a brawl.
His teammate, Bucs great Gerald McCoy, was one of multiple players who had to hold David back from confronting Monken after the exchange. But David doesn’t hold any bad blood toward Monken. He claims that the two have since squashed the beef, and there is a mutual understanding that things just went too far in the heat of the moment.
It’s a shame David retired, because the Buccaneers will be hosting Monken’s Cleveland Browns during the 2026 season, and it would’ve been must-see TV to watch Monken’s offense face off against the David-led Bucs defense given their history.
It’s a story that has never been told before, and a side of David that Bucs fans aren’t accustomed to, but are thrilled to learn about. Getting a peek behind the curtain at some of these moments is a real treat, and Bucs fans are hoping David’s post-retirement press run doesn’t end anytime soon.