Even losing a tooth hasn't slowed Vea down. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Watch: Buccaneers DT Vita Vea loses a tooth vs. Colts

By Adam Stites | Last updated 11/28/21

Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea has been a force to be reckoned with in 2021, and even losing a tooth hasn't slowed him down. In fact, when an Indianapolis Colts helmet blasted a tooth out of his mouth in a Week 12 game, Vea laughed it off.

Holy yikes, Vita Vea lost a tooth in the middle of a play pic.twitter.com/jORY5CyJZm
— Josh Hill (@jdavhill) November 28, 2021

Losing teeth is a rarity in the NFL, but not completely unheard of. In 2017, Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carl Lawson lost a couple of pieces of teeth when he sacked Cleveland Browns quarterback DeShone Kizer.

Vea, 26, was a first-round pick in 2018 and missed most of the 2020 season with a fractured leg, but he returned to play in Super Bowl 55. Despite his shortened season, the Buccaneers picked up the fifth-year option on Vea's rookie contract.

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