Ndamukong Suh finally added the Super Bowl champion to his list of career awards.
After the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Super Bowl victory, the 34-year-old defensive striker is not ready to retire. Instead, he would like to go back to the Bucs.
“My goal is to come back and have the opportunity to win another championship,” Suh told Albert Breer of MMQB recently. “Me and Tom [Brady] spoke the other day about that opportunity, as well as with Jason Licht. I don’t know if you saw our celebration of the parade on that podium, Coach BA [Bruce Arians] said i’m not going anywhere. And he is usually a man of his word. So I’m looking forward to the opportunity to continue playing, especially for Tampa. And I honestly believe that I still have a lot of elite, a great talent to play. I’m not ready to turn them off yet. And my wife gave me the OK – that is first of all, I have this permission. “
If Suh intends to continue playing for a 12th season, staying in Tampa can be tricky unless he is willing to accept a significant pay cut – something we haven’t seen in his career. Bucs have a good playing space compared to the rest of the league, but others are higher priorities than veteran D-lineman. Pass striker Shaquil Barrett, linebacker Lavonte David, receiver Chris Godwin and tight end Rob Gronkowski are among Tampa’s free agents looking for payment.
Suh was present in the postseason, including 1.5 sacks by Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl LV.
The veteran, named Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2010, has made three first-team All-Pro teams and five Pro Bowls over the course of his career, but is not ready to give up after winning his first Lombardi.
“In addition to being able to still have that energy, that fire to go outside, I think the biggest thing that pushed me through this season was knowing that I have twins on the way,” Suh told Breer. “To be able to come to this world as champions, but also to play for a few years, maybe five, who knows? That they can see me on the football field and experience it at a certain age, obviously they will be super young, will come back this year. But just so they can experience and be close to that environment [would be great]. “