The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may still get the smaller share of national attention these days, but they've got no shortage of devoted members in the organization.
We all know about the legendary Buccaneers like Lavonte David, Mike Evans, Derrick Brooks, and Ronde Barber, who stayed dedicated to the franchise for the duration of their NFL careers.
But love for Tampa Bay doesn't just stop with the most popular names in Tampa Bay football, as demonstrated by offensive lineman Nick Leverett in a social media message on Thursday.
"I'm forever grateful for the city of Tampa," Leverett said in the post. "It's hard to put into words what this city and organization meant to me. My heartfelt thanks extend to the Buccaneers organization, to the fans, the dedicated nutrition, kitchen, and training staff, the strength conditioning team, my coaches, teammates — especially the offensive line, and anyone else I may have inadvertently overlooked.
"I'm forever indebted to the community of Tampa for embracing me as one of your own and providing an environment where I could grow both as a player and as a person," the post continued. "The memories created and lessons learned during my time with the Buccaneers will forever hold a special place in my heart."
Leverett was an undrafted free agent coming out of Rice but was able to prove himself to the point the Bucs put him on their active roster beginning in 2021, leading to his starting 10 games in 2022.
He was active for three games in 2023 and recently agreed to join the New England Patriots on a one-year deal, thus inspiring the heartfelt goodbye.
Organizations are measured in wins and Lombardi Trophies, and certainly the Buccaneers have a couple of those to flex.
But players really remember the organizations that take care of them. It's what leads to players like David, Evans, and others sticking around when they could potentially find more money — and even more attention — elsewhere.
And it's why we know those who know Leverett inside of the Tampa Bay franchise will wish him well as he heads to the Patriots.
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