After five emotional years, linebacker Alex Anzalone has said his goodbyes to Detroit. In a heartfelt message to fans, the former Lions captain explained his departure while reflecting on the team's incredible turnaround.

His goodbye note began by paying respect to the city of Detroit and its people, not football. He went on to add:

"On the field, these 5 years have been incredible. Being named a captain was an honor I never took lightly. We went through the rebuild together, fought through the hard moments, and then got to experience the turnaround. The playoff runs, the excitement back in Ford Field, but most importantly the brotherhood with my teammates."

Anzalone almost left for free agency last year. The Lions added $250,000 to Anzalone's original $6 million base salary for 2025 to keep him on last season's roster. However, the same strategy did not work this time.

The veteran linebacker has been vocal about his dissatisfaction with his contract situation. He even made a note of it in his farewell post. "The business side of football doesn't always line up with exactly how we think things should go. Contracts end, decisions are made, and sometimes paths diverge."

That's why Anzalone, a star who wanted to retire at the Lions, had to leave the team. Anzalone concluded his message with a final thank you to Detroit.

Anzalone Did Not Have to Spend Much Time in Free Agency

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Anzalone and the Buccaneers have reached a two-year, $17 million agreement. The linebacker started all 16 games last season and recorded the second-most tackles (95) for the Lions in the 2025 season, all of which must have led the Buccaneers to go for him.

Another reason might be the question mark over Lavonte David's future. The longest-tenured player for the Buccaneers, David, is in line to retire soon. The Buccaneers are looking for a new leader, and Anzalone fits the role.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers also signed running back Kenneth Gainwell, and they still have some room in their cap space, meaning more signings can be expected.

How do you think Alex Anzalone will fare with his new team? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Sayantan Gayen

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar