The Eagles are adding a former first-round pick to their defense.
Via multiple reporters, General Manager Howie Roseman said at the annual league meeting on Sunday that Philadelphia is signing edge rusher Joe Tryon-Shoyinka to a one-year deal.
Tryon-Shoyinka, 26, was the No. 32 overall pick for the Bucs in 2021. He spent his first four seasons with Tampa Bay before signing a one-year deal with Cleveland last offseason. He was then traded to Chicago midway through the season.
In 16 total games last year — eight for the Browns, eight for the Bears — Tryon-Shoyinka registered 22 total tackles with one tackle for loss and a pair of QB hits.
He’s appeared in 82 total games with 45 starts, registering 15.0 sacks with 22 tackles for loss and 37 quarterback hits.
Bucs Clips
After Florida attorney James Uthmeier posted a video on Wednesday demanding that the NFL suspend the Rooney Rule, the team owned by the man after whom the rule is named had no comment.
On Friday, Steelers owner Art Rooney II — the son of Dan Rooney, the namesake of the Rooney Rule — had a comment.
“There’s no question that the environment has changed in recent years,” Rooney told Kalyn Kahler of ESPN. “We do have an obligation to make sure that our policies comply with the laws, whatever the law is, and whatever the changes in law might be. We’ve got to look at that and make sure we’re in compliance. . . . That’s just the environment we’re existing in today.”
The laws haven’t changed. The attitude toward them has. No state attorney general has ever investigated the NFL for decades of questionable hiring practices when it comes to race. Now, out of the blue, a red-state attorney general is attacking the Rooney Rule as being discriminatory on the basis of race.
Rooney’s comments have relevance far beyond Florida. They explain the NFL’s tiptoeing through the DEI minefield, dumping the Accelerator program last year before bringing it back in 2026 and expanding it to include white candidates.
The NFL has tried to strike the balance between saying all the right things and doing as little as possible. Now, the league is faced with a dilemma. Paying lip service to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts has invited an attack from Florida. What the NFL does from here could invite a social-media assault from one specific location in Washington, D.C.
It also could spark an effort by a blue-state attorney general or two to pluck low-hanging fruit that has been hanging there for decades.
On Wednesday, Florida attorney general James Uthmeier demanded that the NFL suspend the Rooney Rule as to the three franchises based there: the Dolphins, Jaguars, and Buccaneers.
On Friday, the NFL issued a statement regarding Uthmeier’s correspondence.
“We are reviewing the letter,” NFL executive V.P. Jeff Miller said. “We believe our policies are consistent with the law and reflect our commitment to fairness, opportunity, and building the strongest possible teams.”
Uthmeier believes otherwise. It’s part of the current assault on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Programs meant to rectify past instances of systemic discrimination have been met with claims that those programs are discriminatory.
Obviously, the NFL’s Rooney Rule doesn’t mandate the hiring of minority coaches. The goal is to get owners to slow down, to take a look at a broader pool of candidates. Even with it, the NFL’s collection of head coaches doesn’t begin to reflect the demographics of its rosters.
The situation puts the NFL in a delicate spot. It’s possible that the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is watching, waiting, and ready to start posting social-media attacks in the wee small hours of the morning.
For now, the NFL has said something. Even if it’s not much of anything. Starting this weekend at the annual meetings, owners undoubtedly will be asked about the situation. The league presumably hopes they’ll say nothing more than, “We are reviewing the letter.”
The video posted by Florida attorney general James Uthmeier on Wednesday has been supplemented with formal correspondence.
Via Andrew Atterbury of Politico, Uthmeier sent a letter to Commissioner Roger Goodell demanding that the Rooney Rule no longer be applied to NFL teams in Florida.
In the letter, copies of which were sent to the owners of the Dolphins, Jaguars, and Buccaneers, Uthmeier asks for confirmation by May 1 “that the NFL will no longer enforce the Rooney Rule or any variation or extension thereof — which requires consideration of race, sex, or any other prohibited classification — on teams in Florida.” Uthmeier adds that "[f]ailure to provide such confirmation may result in a civil rights enforcement action.”
From the letter: “The NFL’s own Executive Vice President of NFL Operations has acknowledged that the NFL should create ‘a workplace culture that doesn’t require mandates to interview people of color and minorities.’ If that is so, then stop discriminating based on race. Stop discriminating based on sex. Interview, hire, and train based on merit. If merit-based employment should exist anywhere (and it should exist everywhere), it is in the NFL. NFL fans in Florida don’t care what color their coach’s skin is. They care what colors their coach is wearing — and that those colors are winning on the football field.”
Of course, the full quote from Troy Vincent reflects his stated belief that a “double standard” exists regarding white and minority coaches. The Rooney Rule was created 23 years ago amid decades of hiring practices supporting the conclusion that the head-coach hiring practices had been heavily skewed toward white candidates. The league acted when it did in order to stave off a threat of litigation from Cyrus Mehri and the late Johnnie Cochran.
Uthmeier’s letter ignores the fact that litigation has been pending, for more than four years, regarding the firing of Brian Flores by the Dolphins.
Provisions like the Rooney Rule are aimed at rectifying decades of systemic discrimination. It’s about ensuring that candidates will get a full and fair opportunity to prove their merit, which often isn’t measured by objective metrics but by subjective factors that are characterized at times by terms like “comfort,” “fit,” and “feel.”
NFL franchises over the years have been owned almost exclusively by white men. Consciously or not, they have gravitated toward white coaches in a way that pales in comparison to the constitution of NFL rosters.
For the players, it’s much easier to display merit. The best players, as evidenced by their skills and abilities demonstrated during practices and games, earn and keep jobs. It’s much more difficult to determine merit when the supply of capable head coaches far outnumbers the 32 positions that are available, and when they all have the basic ability to perform the basic physical requirements of the job.
The league has said nothing to date about Uthmeier’s crusade against the Rooney Rule; the NFL has not responded to two separate emails from PFT seeking comment.
With the league’s owners soon to be arriving in Arizona for the annual meeting, where many of them will be speaking to reporters (and where Goodell will eventually conduct a press conference), it’s inevitable that someone will be saying something about the NFL’s position in response to Florida’s attack on the Rooney Rule.
The Buccaneers hosted free agent linebacker DeAngelo Malone on a free agent visit on Thursday.
Malone, 26, spent his first four seasons with the Falcons after they made him a third-round pick in 2022.
He landed on injured reserve last season after injuring an ankle in Week 10 against the Colts. Malone ended up playing nine games, and he totaled eight tackles, an interception and a pass defensed.
Malone played all but two games in his first three seasons.
In his career, Malone has recorded 59 tackles, three sacks, an interception and a pass defensed.
Raiders minority owner Tom Brady was interested enough in a potential comeback on the playing field to ask the NFL what the rules would be. The NFL reiterated that a player can’t also be an owner.
Brady told Alex Sherman of CNBC that when he looked into the rules, it was made clear to him that he can’t be an owner and a player at the same time.
“I actually have inquired, and they don’t like that idea very much,” Brady said. “We explored a lot of different things, and I’m very happily retired. Let me just say that, too.”
NFL rules would require Brady to sell his stake in the team before he could become an active player, and even then there could be additional questions about whether he would be a free agent or only eligible to play for the Raiders, and then whether money Brady has made as a Raiders minority owner would have to be counted against the salary cap. It wouldn’t be an easy process.
Brady played flag football last weekend but said that didn’t make him think he was going to return to the field.
“If anything, that game reconfirmed to me that I’m very happy in my retirement,” Brady said.
The 48-year-old Brady last played in 2022, when at age 45 he completed 490 of 733 passes for 4,694 yards with 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Florida is taking aim at the Rooney Rule, calling it discriminatory. The Fritz Pollard Alliance, in a statement issued to PFT, has defended the provision.
“The Rooney Rule doesn’t limit opportunity; it expands it,” Fritz Pollard Alliance interim executive director Michele C. Meyer-Shipp said. “It doesn’t cap who a club can consider or dictate who gets hired and it’s not a hiring rule. What it does is increase fair competition and ensure a true merit-based process by opening the door beyond the traditional ‘tap on the shoulder’ system, so the best candidates from all backgrounds are actually seen, evaluated, and can compete.”
The Fritz Pollard Alliance, as explained on the group’s website, works “to ensure that hiring, advancement, and decision-making processes for career opportunities both on and off the field are open, fair, and inclusive, so that the leadership of the game reflects the excellence, talent, and diversity of the sport itself.”
The NFL has not responded to an inquiry from PFT regarding the Wednesday afternoon comments from Florida attorney general James Uthmeier, who has demanded that the NFL suspend the Rooney Rule or face possible enforcement action.
The Rooney Rule is named for late Steelers owner Dan Rooney; the Steelers had no comment on Wednesday evening regarding Uthmeier’s demand that the Rooney Rule be suspended.
Last month, former NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith explained in a visit to PFT Live at the Super Bowl that accountability when it comes to the league’s hiring practices could come from the attorneys general of one or more states in which the NFL does business.
That has happened, but not in the way that Smith would have envisioned.
In a video posted Wednesday on Twitter, Florida attorney general James Uthmeier demanded that the NFL suspend the Rooney Rule.
“Next week, the NFL’s annual league meeting begins in Phoenix, Arizona,” Uthmeier said. “And the NFL draft is only a month away. Ahead of the annual meeting, my office is sending a letter to the NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell regarding the league’s hiring practices. Specifically, the use of the so-called Rooney Rule, which requires NFL teams to interview candidates based on race.
“The NFL’s use of the Rooney Rule violates Florida law by requiring race-based considerations in hiring. Florida law is clear. Hiring decisions cannot be based on race, and the Rooney Rule mandates race-based interviews and incentivizes race-based decisions. That’s discrimination. We’re demanding the NFL suspend the Rooney Rule, and failure to do so may result in enforcement actions against the league for race-based discrimination. NFL teams and their fans don’t care about the race of the coaching staff. They want a merit-based system that gives their team the best chance to win.”
Florida hosts three NFL teams: The Dolphins, Buccaneers, and Jaguars.
The move comes at a time when the NFL has been tiptoeing around the federal government’s assault against diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Recently, the league expanded its Accelerator program to include non-minority candidates, arguing that it was not influenced by the current political climate.
The easy reaction to DEI efforts is to argue that all decisions should be based on merit. The NFL’s traditional hiring practices suggest otherwise; NFL executive V.P. of football operations Troy Vincent’s admissions regarding the existence of a “double standard” were featured in the pending lawsuit filed by former Dolphins coach Brian Flores against the Dolphins, the league, and multiple teams.
It remains to be seen whether Uthmeier follows through with his threat, if the NFL doesn’t suspend the Rooney Rule. Coincidentally, or not, Florida took no action after Flores claimed that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross offered to pay Flores $100,000 for each game Flores lost in 2019.
After Mike Evans elected to sign with the 49ers in free agency, another Buccaneers legend is officially departing the franchise.
Longtime Tampa Bay linebacker Lavonte David announced his retirement on Tuesday.
A second-round pick in the 2012 draft, David played all 14 seasons and 215 games of his career with the Buccaneers. He was a first-team All-Pro honoree in 2013 and a one-time Pro Bowler. The Bucs noted in David’s announcement that he finished his career with the same number of seasons played and total tackles (1,714) as Hall of Fame linebacker Derrick Brooks. Defensive back Ronde Barber is the only one to play more years with the Bucs at 16.
“For the past 14 seasons, Lavonte David has personified what it means to be a Tampa Bay Buccaneer. He was a selfless leader both on and off the field, playing with passion and a genuine love for the game. He leaves a legacy as a Super Bowl champion and one of the greatest players in franchise history, setting a standard that will continue to impact our organization for years to come,” The Glazer Family, owners of the Buccaneers, said in a statement released by the team. “Today, we celebrate Lavonte’s legendary career as one of the most accomplished players of his era and thank him for the many memorable moments he provided our fans. Beyond the statistics and accolades, he will be remembered throughout Tampa Bay for his humble demeanor and strong commitment to our community. We wish him well on his journey after football and look forward to honoring his Hall of Fame-worthy achievements in the near future.”
“Lavonte’s mark on our franchise could never be overstated,” G.M. Jason Licht said in a statement. “For the entirety of his 14-year career, Lavonte set the standard for professionalism, leadership, and consistency. He embodies everything that it means to be a Tampa Bay Buccaneer and he is undoubtedly one of the best players to ever put on this uniform. His contributions to our franchise, to his teammates and to this community will leave an impact far beyond his playing years.”
Added head coach Todd Bowles, “Before I came to the Buccaneers, I always had immense respect for Lavonte as a special football player. Having had the fortune to coach him for the last seven seasons, I have also experienced the special person and leader he is. He has been the heart and soul of our defense and a Super Bowl champion on the way to being an eventual Hall of Famer. There isn’t anyone more respected by his teammates, and that respect extends to his peers and opposing coaches throughout the league. I, as well as everyone in this organization, will miss him tremendously.”
David, who turned 36 in January, was still playing at a strong level in 2025, finishing his final season with 114 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, six QB hits, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, three passes defensed, and one interception.
Longtime Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David may be ready to call it a career.
The Buccaneers announced that David will have a news conference at the team facility today. There was no official reason given for the news conference, but there has been speculation that David is planning to retire.
The 36-year-old David is currently a free agent, but he has played his entire 14-year career with the Buccaneers and has indicated he has no interest in playing anywhere else. Buccaneers General Manager Jason Licht has said the team will welcome David back if he wants to play this season.
The Buccaneers have signed two free agent inside linebackers, Alex Anzalone and Christian Rozeboom. Those signings seemed to indicate that they’re expecting David to retire.
Tampa Bay selected David out of Nebraska in the second round of the 2012 NFL draft. He has won a Super Bowl ring and been a first-team All-Pro during his tenure with the Bucs, and now it may be coming to an end.
