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It’s just one game, but find me a better NFL debut for a linebacker than the one we just saw from Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie Josiah Trotter.
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A second-round pick out of Missouri in the 2026 NFL Draft, Trotter was a big-play machine for the Bucs in Sunday’s 33-27 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, racking up 10 total tackles, his first career sack, and his first career interception, which he returned 38 yards for a touchdown.
If any team in the NFL knows what an elite linebacker looks like, it’s the Bucs.
First, there was Richard “Batman” Wood back in the 1970s, one of the team’s first iconic players and veteran leaders who helped shepherd the franchise from an 0-26 start to a division championship and an NFC title game appearance in just their fourth year of existence.
54 Days ’til Bucs Kickoff!
Richard “Batman” Wood! A key piece to the Bucs defense in the early years. Throwback to his best highlights pic.twitter.com/R8xwyw4XfS
— Liam Mitchell (Bucs Vault) (@BucsArchive1976) July 16, 2024
Then it was Hardy Nickerson, who joined the Bucs in 1993 after six seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Another respected veteran leader, Nickerson’s reliable presence and physical style of play helped a struggling Tampa Bay team establish a new culture and eventually turn the tide just a few seasons later.
56 Days ’til Bucs Kickoff!
Hardy Nickerson held it down for the Bucs great defenses of the late 90s. He belongs in the Bucs Ring of Honor. Throwback to some of his best highlights. pic.twitter.com/eKvHsCqWEz
— Liam Mitchell (Bucs Vault) (@BucsArchive1976) July 14, 2024
That culture change was aided by the arrival of Derrick Brooks in the first round of the 1995 NFL Draft. One of the most dynamic linebackers in NFL history, Brooks took the torch from Nickerson and played a critical role in helping the Bucs win the first Super Bowl in franchise history in 2002 before being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014. He spent his entire 14-year NFL career in a Tampa Bay uniform.
NOBODY wreaked havoc on offenses like Derrick Brooks. @DBrooks55 was an absolute force for the @Buccaneers.
via @nflthrowbackpic.twitter.com/ygmFtull0v
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) April 15, 2021
The next culture-changer at the position was Lavonte David, a second-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft out of Nebraska. Despite being undersized for the position, David quickly established himself as one of the best defenders in the game, putting up ridiculous numbers despite playing on a Tampa Bay team that struggled for much of his early years with the franchise. But his on-field impact set a high standard, and his off-field leadership did the same, both playing a key factor in the Bucs’ second Super Bowl championship in 2020.
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A few years back, I had a great conversation w/@rondebarber about the greatness of Lavonte David.
Having played for the Bucs long enough to line up alongside Hardy Nickerson, Derrick Brooks, and then David, Barber knew what an elite LB looked like. pic.twitter.com/aWLn40ws5N
— Luke Easterling (@LukeEasterling) March 25, 2026
David retired this offseason after spending all of his 14 years in the NFL with the Bucs, leaving the Tampa Bay defense with a gaping hole at linebacker. Alex Anzalone was signed in free agency to help replace some of that lost experience and leadership that left with David, but it was the drafting of Trotter that could bring a new generation of high-level play to such a vital position moving forward.
Trotter’s hard-hitting style of play and knack for making big plays was a consistent storyline throughout his first training camp at One Buc Place, but Sunday’s regular-season opener on the road against the Bengals gave the rookie his first real chance to prove himself at the pro level.
The rookie Josiah Trotter with his first NFL sack 💪
TBvsCIN on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/1JRJSmOfPa
— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2026
JOSIAH TROTTER WITH THE PICK-6 🔥
THE ROOKIE IS HAVING A DAY
TBvsCIN on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/v71cdd3uyp
— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2026
He made an immediate impact in every facet of the game, and his pick-six came at a critical time for the Bucs, who had struggled to put points on the board thanks in large part to a deluge of turnovers from the offense. Still trailing by two touchdowns late in the third quarter, Trotter’s pick-six off Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow put Tampa Bay within striking distance heading into the fourth quarter.
They weren’t able to fully capitalize and finish off the comeback, but their strong finish should give the Bucs some positive momentum to build from as they prepare for Week 2 and beyond.
For Trotter, it’s obviously just one game, but this is exactly the kind of impact the Bucs envisioned when they made him their target to replace David on Day 2 of this year’s draft. Those are massive shoes to fill going all the way back to the team’s humble beginnings, but if his performance on Sunday is any indication, Trotter has everything he needs to be the next in a long line of elite linebackers to wear a Bucs jersey.
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This story was originally published September 13, 2026 at 3:57 PM.