Caleb Harris
PHILADELPHIA – The door closed and Devin White put on his Tampa Bay Buccaneers uniform again. After reports of team withdrawal who drafted him 5th overall five years ago, the Super Bowl The hero needed a fresh start to rebuild his game and his reputation.
The Philadelphia Eagles are giving White that chance. White let external factors dictate his play on the field last season, vowing that same mentality wouldn’t follow him to Philadelphia.
“That’s where I had trouble last year, just trying to be their guy instead of going out there and continuing to have fun with the game and make plays,” White said at the NovaCare Complex on Wednesday. “I think that’s where being a great football player comes in when you’re smiling and celebrating and not really focusing on the business side.”
White played under a fifth-year option in Tampa Bay but was playing for a contract extension. The uncertainty of the situation affected his play throughout the season, eventually falling out of favor in December in favor of KJ Britt.
White regained his starting role, only to see his snap percentage reduced in the playoffs. He played just 44% of the defensive snaps in the wild-card win over the Eagles and just 19% in the divisional round loss to the Detroit Lions.
“I think if you have fun, the business side will take care of itself,” White said. “That was the first time I was in a business situation. I don’t think I handled it well. I handled it more like a lawyer than I should have just as a football player.”
The change of scenery has been good for White, and it’s exactly what Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles suggested in the NFL owners meetings in March. Although White didn’t fully agree with Bowles’ comments, he embraced the new beginning.
“I feel like it was definitely good, a breath of fresh air to be able to start over and work from scratch,” White said. “There is nothing like a humbling life experience and I feel like what I went through last year was very humbling for me. It put me back to the root of everything where I want to rebuild myself.
“I know I can do it. I did it when I got out of high school. I did it when I got out of college. I did it when I got into the NFL and it’s time to do it again. This is a guy [Bowles] who has always supported me, so if he said that I really agree because he knows what’s best.”
Moving north to Philadelphia humbled White, eager to prove he was still a productive player. The Eagles have already solidified White as a first-team linebacker, who has impressed throughout offseason workouts.
White then appeared, knowing Bowles was on to something.
“He was a father figure to me, to this day, and he checks up on me,” White said. “I think this new scenario is good. I have a great organization, I live with great people every day. I already have a lot of friends on this team, so it’s good to have the chance to play with them. I hope I don’t need to keep changing scenery.
“Now I’m back to being a football player and smiling every day, and just being a light around the building, being someone that everyone can count on. That’s what I want to keep my hat on this year.”
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