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BY IRA KAUFMAN
He was supposed to ride off into a storied career atop his chosen Super Bowl horse, Artistic Dream.
Instead, it’s the steed’s rider who has broken down.
Devin White
Devin White had the world at his stirrups during the unforgettable championship run of the 2020 Buccaneers. He was only 22 when he finished his second pro season with a flourish.
White may have been Tampa Bay’s most consequential player in that postseason push, posting two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and 38 tackles, despite missing one of the four playoff games. He was named a second-team All-Pro linebacker after registering 9 sacks and 140 stops, including 15 tackles for loss. He seemed poised for greatness.
But here we are six years later — and 28-year-old Devin White doesn’t have a job in the National Football League. He’s not old and he’s not hurt, but White can’t drum up much interest from 32 teams as a free agent.
His is a cautionary tale for any first-round pick who enjoys early success.
Despite averaging 15 starts during his five seasons in Tampa, White failed to secure a second contract with the team that made him the fifth overall pick in the 2019 draft. He thought he deserved a new deal, but he couldn’t win over Todd Bowles, Jason Licht or the Glazers.
When White requested a trade during the 2023 offseason, the Bucs kept him on for one more year. That was a mistake because White became a locker room problem. When he wasn’t pouting, he was popping off to teammates, so the Bucs finally allowed him to hit free agency.
The Eagles pounced, hoping White could recapture his dynamic form, but he was released a month into the 2024 season. He never played a snap for Philadelphia. Two weeks later, the Texans signed White and he played seven games for Houston before hitting the free-agent market once again.
John Spytek, Licht’s former right-hand personnel guru, gave White a chance with the Raiders last season. Despite setting a franchise record with 174 tackles, White failed to impress his new team enough to retain his services.
This is a bizarre turn of events.
The only two players with more tackles than White in 2025 — Miami’s Jordyn Brooks and Jack Campbell of the Lions — were named first-team All-Pro at inside linebacker.
White can’t find an employer.
He peaked at age 22, flying around the field and turning games around with his startling speed in a 240-pound frame. That frame is now 250. He added 10 pounds and lost his mojo.
White’s lack of physicality caught up to him. He is seen as an erratic head case who takes poor angles and struggles to cover the middle of the field. Licht publicly stated he harbors regrets about drafting White. That’s a heck of an admission considering White played such a pivotal role in Licht brandishing the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
The Bucs signed Alex Anzalone from Detroit in free agency because they view him as White’s polar opposite, an aggressive inside linebacker who can cover, hit and serve as a leader for a defense that often appeared rudderless in 2025.
Will Devin White play another snap in the NFL? Probably yes.
Some team ravaged by injury will likely give No. 45 another chance to resurrect a career in shambles. And although White’s stint in Tampa didn’t end well, Buc fans won’t soon forget his contributions.
He’s young enough to get on that horse again for one last ride, yet the finish line looms dead ahead.
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