After a stellar 14-year NFL career, linebacker Lavonte David is stepping away from the game he loves.

David, a former Husker All-American and the NFL's third all-time solo tackle leader, announced his retirement at a press conference Tuesday.

"I just felt like it was time," the 36-year-old David told reporters in Tampa, where he spent his entire pro career.

His NFL career is one of the best of any former Husker, and there's a strong argument that he deserves a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. All this from a lightly recruited, two-star prospect from Miami Northwestern High School.

Before Nebraska

David spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career at Fort Scott Community College in Kansas, becoming one of the best linebackers at the JUCO level. In his first season, 2008, the Miami native led his team with 93 tackles on their way to becoming the No. 6 team in the country in the final national rankings.

The following season, David and company picked up right where they left off.…