Anzalone prioritized "home" over finances, revealing deep family ties and a perfect fit drove his decision to sign with the Buccaneers.
Since signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency, veteran linebacker Alex Anzalone has had nothing but kind words to say about his new teammates, franchise and coaching staff.
Anzalone, who signed a two-year, $17 million contract with the Bucs in free agency, joined "The Schultz Report" on Wednesday, where he talked about his decision to join Tampa despite multiple strong offers from elsewhere.
"If you talk to my agent, he'd be like, yeah, it's probably financially better to go to those places, but it's home for me and my wife," Anzalone said. "It actually means something to play in Tampa.
"It was a perfect fit."
Both Anzalone and his wife were standout athletes at the University of Florida, while Anzalone's father practices medicine in Naples. He and his wife also married in Tampa and live in the area in the offseason.
The nine-year veteran spent his first four NFL seasons on the New Orleans Saints before spending the past five years with the Detroit Lions.
After Detroit signed linebacker Derrick Barnes to a three-year contract worth $25.5 million, Anzalone's future with the team became shaky. Ultimately, his split from Detroit was strictly financial, he told Schultz.
Anzalone joins a new-look linebacking core in Tampa, as he and newly signed Christian Rozeboom will man the middle following Lavonte David's retirement.
He also reunites with former Lions teammate Al-Quadin Muhammad, who joined the Bucs on a one-year deal worth up to $6 million following his career year in Detroit.
Anzalone also gave props to many of his new teammates, starting with quarterback Baker Mayfield.
"People get caught up in his competitive nature and his toughness ... but, like, he’s a really good quarterback," Anzalone said. "It’ll be fun to have him on my side."
He credited Mayfield's accuracy and ability to play within multiple systems, expressing his excitement to play alongside the three-year Bucs starter.
Anzalone also gave props to his fellow defensive specialists, complimenting defensive tackle Vita Vea and safety Antoine Winfield Jr.
"I don't mind playing with Vita," Anzalone laughed. "I'll still have to do my fair share, but when you got a guy in front of you and a guy [Winfield] behind you at that level, it's important."
Anzalone credited the Bucs' "young guys" as well, saying he has been working out with edge rusher Yaya Diaby.
Despite just arriving in Tampa, Anzalone's energy and vibe towards his new team has been incredible. He should bring veteran stability and chemistry to a unit in transition following David's departure and a bizarre collapse at the end of last year.
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