BuccaneersFan.com • Player Spotlight • No. 50
Photo: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Nose tackle • Active
Built to hold the line
Tevita “Vita” Tuli’aki’ono Tuipulotu Mosese Vaʻhae Fehoko Faletau Vea
- Born
- February 5, 1995
- Hometown
- Milpitas, California
- Listed size
- 6 feet 4 inches • 347 pounds
- College
- University of Washington
Played 2015–2017; redshirted in 2014 - NFL Draft
- 2018 • Round 1 • Pick 12
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - NFL career
- Tampa Bay, 2018–present
- Current chapter
- Ninth Buccaneers season in 2026
- Latest extension
- August 2026 • Under contract through 2027
Profile: Buccaneers biography, full-name background and Washington biography. Pro Bowl selections refer to the 2021 and 2024 seasons. Second Pro Bowl announcement.
A big presence. An even bigger assignment.
Every Buccaneer ship needs an anchor. In the middle of Tampa Bay’s defensive front, Vita Vea brings the size to hold his ground and the movement to make an offensive lineman’s afternoon considerably less comfortable.
His work begins where space is scarce: over the center, between the guards, in the traffic that decides whether a running lane opens or a pocket closes. A nose tackle can influence a play even when a teammate makes the tackle. Vea’s championship comeback offers a particularly good example of that value.
Drafted by Tampa Bay in 2018, Vea has spent his entire NFL career in pewter and red. His résumé includes a Super Bowl LV title, two Pro Bowl selections and a career-best seven sacks in 2024. An August 2026 extension continued the relationship through the 2027 season. Contract and career overview • 2024 defensive leaders.
The Buccaneers chapter
2018–present: an anchor in Tampa Bay
From a first-round investment to a veteran leader, Vea’s career has unfolded entirely in Tampa Bay. These regular-season figures sit alongside each Buccaneers team’s finish; postseason statistics appear separately below.
| Season | G | GS | Team W–L | Tackles | Sacks | Season finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 13 | 8 | 5–11 | 28 | 3.0 | Missed playoffs |
| 2019 | 16 | 16 | 7–9 | 35 | 2.5 | Missed playoffs |
| 2020 | 5 | 5 | 11–5 | 10 | 2.0 | Super Bowl LV champions |
| 2021 | 16 | 16 | 13–4 | 33 | 4.0 | NFC South champions; divisional round |
| 2022 | 14 | 14 | 8–9 | 31 | 6.5 | NFC South champions; wild-card round |
| 2023 | 15 | 15 | 9–8 | 43 | 5.5 | NFC South champions; divisional round |
| 2024 | 16 | 16 | 10–7 | 42 | 7.0 | NFC South champions; wild-card round |
| 2025 | 17 | 17 | 8–9 | 34 | 4.5 | Missed playoffs |
| 2026 * | 8 | 8 | 3–5 | 16 | 1.0 | In progress through Week 8 |
*2026 is in progress through November 1. G = games played; GS = games started. Tackles are combined solo and assisted tackles. Team W–L covers all Buccaneers games, including any Vea missed. On a smaller screen, swipe or scroll across the table; keyboard users can focus the table area and use the arrow keys.
Sources: official Buccaneers season statistics and Vea’s current profile and game log. Annual statistics links are listed below.
2018–2019 The first steps—and a touchdown.
A calf injury delayed Vea’s rookie debut until September 30, 2018, in Chicago. He made his first start against Cleveland that October and recorded his first sack against Washington in November. Debut report.
The next year brought a full season of starts and an unexpected turn as a scoring target: a one-yard touchdown catch in Atlanta. The nose tackle was beginning to show how many ways he could contribute. Player biography.
2020–2021 A comeback, a ring and a Pro Bowl.
A fractured ankle cut Vea’s 2020 regular season to five games. He worked back into the lineup for the NFC Championship Game, then helped Tampa Bay finish its title run in Super Bowl LV.
In 2021, he started 16 games, recorded four sacks and earned his first Pro Bowl selection. Tampa Bay also began a run of four consecutive NFC South titles. First Pro Bowl • 2021 season history.
2022–2026 A veteran force in the middle.
Vea followed with 6.5 sacks in 2022, 5.5 in 2023 and a career-high 7.0 in 2024. That 2024 campaign brought his second Pro Bowl selection.
He started all 17 games in 2025 and added 4.5 sacks. In September 2026, teammates elected him a captain for the fifth consecutive season. 2024 production • 2026 captains.
2026: the Tampa Bay story continues
Vea’s August extension keeps him under contract through 2027. In the interview that followed, he spoke about wanting to remain a Buccaneer for his career. The new agreement carries his Tampa Bay story beyond his ninth season.
Sources: extension announcement and Vea’s interview. Current-season statistics are a snapshot through November 1, 2026.
February 7, 2021 • Raymond James Stadium
The comeback that ended with a championship
Super Bowl LV • Final
31 – 9
TAMPA BAY / KANSAS CITY
A championship at home.
A remarkable return for No. 50.
BUCCANEERS 31 • CHIEFS 9
Tampa Bay’s defense: no touchdowns allowed
3 sacks • 2 interceptions
Vea’s road to this game began with rehabilitation. After fracturing his ankle in October, he needed the Buccaneers to keep advancing long enough for him to return. They did—and he rejoined them at Green Bay on January 24.
He played 33 defensive snaps in that NFC Championship Game. His personal box score was quiet, but his push inside helped the rush around him. Tampa Bay sacked Aaron Rodgers five times and won 31–26.
Two weeks later, Vea was part of the defense that kept Kansas City out of the end zone in Super Bowl LV. The injury had interrupted his season; his comeback let him help finish it with a Lombardi Trophy.
Sources: Vea’s return, NFC Championship recap and Super Bowl LV recap. The championship defensive totals above belong to the team.
California roots • Washington rise
The road that brought Vita to the Bay
Milpitas to the Huskies
Vea grew up in Milpitas, California, and played on both sides of the ball in high school. Washington’s biography credits his senior season with 578 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns—an early reminder that the big defensive lineman could move with the football, too.
He enrolled at Washington in 2014, redshirted that fall and played for the Huskies from 2015 through 2017. His final college season brought the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year award and the Morris Trophy as the conference’s top defensive lineman.
The Morris Trophy carries a particularly fitting endorsement: opposing offensive linemen vote for the defensive winner. The players who had to block Vea had their say.
Sources: Washington biography, Pac-12 honors and Morris Trophy announcement.
The draft-night investment
On April 26, 2018, the Buccaneers traded down from the seventh pick to No. 12 and selected Vea. The deal with Buffalo also brought Tampa Bay two second-round selections.
Size was only part of the attraction. The Buccaneers’ introduction highlighted a roughly 5.1-second 40-yard dash at 347 pounds. That combination of mass and movement offered possibilities against both the run and the pass.
Over the seasons that followed, he grew into a recurring captain and a long-term presence in the middle of Tampa Bay’s defense. The 2026 extension reflects the club’s continued commitment to a player it drafted and developed.
Sources: draft-night report, combine background and 2026 extension.
One catch. One yard. One very big touchdown.
On November 24, 2019, Vea caught a one-yard touchdown pass from Jameis Winston in Tampa Bay’s 35–22 win at Atlanta. He also sacked Matt Ryan that afternoon. For one memorable day, the defensive tackle supplied both a quarterback takedown and a touchdown reception.
His receiving career through November 1, 2026: one catch, one yard and one touchdown. Sources: Atlanta game notes and career receiving statistics.
The numbers behind No. 50
Career statistics & honors
Through Week Eight of 2026, Vea has played 120 regular-season games, with 272 tackles and 36.0 sacks. His postseason record adds 8 appearances and 2.5 sacks. The tables keep regular-season and playoff production separate.
| Scope | G | GS | Tackles | Sacks | PD | FF | FR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular season, 2018–2025 | 112 | 107 | 256 | 35.0 | 9 | 3 | 3 |
| Regular season, through Nov. 1, 2026 | 120 | 115 | 272 | 36.0 | 11 | 3 | 3 |
| Postseason, 2020–2024 | 8 | 6 | 11 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
G = games played; GS = games started; PD = passes defensed; FF = forced fumbles; FR = opponent fumbles recovered. The two regular-season rows are overlapping snapshots: the current total already includes 2018–2025.
Honors along the way
- Super Bowl LV champion with Tampa Bay.
- Two Pro Bowl selections: 2021 and 2024 seasons.
- 2017 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.
- 2017 Morris Trophy: top Pac-12 defensive lineman.
Buccaneers milestones
- Entire NFL career in Tampa Bay: 2018–present.
- Four straight NFC South titles: 2021–2024.
- Career-high 7.0 sacks: 2024 season.
- Five straight captain selections: 2022–2026.
Honors: Buccaneers biography, the Washington award announcements above and the 2026 captain announcement.
Regular-season tackles & sacks • 2018–2026
| Season | G | GS | Solo | Ast | Total | Sacks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 13 | 8 | 21 | 7 | 28 | 3.0 |
| 2019 | 16 | 16 | 19 | 16 | 35 | 2.5 |
| 2020 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 2.0 |
| 2021 | 16 | 16 | 22 | 11 | 33 | 4.0 |
| 2022 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 31 | 6.5 |
| 2023 | 15 | 15 | 28 | 15 | 43 | 5.5 |
| 2024 | 16 | 16 | 27 | 15 | 42 | 7.0 |
| 2025 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 34 | 4.5 |
| 2026 * | 8 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 1.0 |
| Career | 120 | 115 | 160 | 112 | 272 | 36.0 |
*2026 is in progress through November 1. Solo = solo tackles; Ast = assisted tackles; Total = Solo + Ast. Sack totals include shared sacks, shown to one decimal place. All seasons were played for Tampa Bay.
Sources: Buccaneers season statistics for 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, plus Vea’s 2026 game log.
Disruption & takeaways • 2018–2026
| Season | PD | FF | FR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 2026 * | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 11 | 3 | 3 |
Regular season only. PD = passes defensed; FF = forced fumbles; FR = opponent fumbles recovered. A forced fumble and a recovery can occur on the same play and should not be added together as a single takeaway total. *2026 is through November 1.
Sources: the Buccaneers season tables above and official player statistics.
Postseason defense • five playoff seasons
| Season | G | GS | Tackles | Sacks | PD | FF | FR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 8 | 6 | 11 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The season label refers to the preceding regular season. The 2020 row covers Vea’s return at Green Bay and Super Bowl LV in early 2021. He did not play in Tampa Bay’s first two games of that postseason.
Sources: official Buccaneers postseason statistics for 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Every playoff appearance • 8 games
| Game date | Round | Opp. | Result | Tackles | Sacks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-01-24 | NFC Championship | @ GB | W 31–26 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 2021-02-07 | Super Bowl LV | KC | W 31–9 | 1 | 0.0 |
| 2022-01-16 | Wild Card | PHI | W 31–15 | 1 | 0.0 |
| 2022-01-23 | Divisional | LAR | L 27–30 | 3 | 1.0 |
| 2023-01-16 | Wild Card | DAL | L 14–31 | 2 | 1.0 |
| 2024-01-15 | Wild Card | PHI | W 32–9 | 2 | 0.5 |
| 2024-01-21 | Divisional | @ DET | L 23–31 | 1 | 0.0 |
| 2025-01-12 | Wild Card | WAS | L 20–23 | 1 | 0.0 |
Scores show Tampa Bay first. @ indicates an away game. GB = Green Bay Packers; KC = Kansas City Chiefs; PHI = Philadelphia Eagles; LAR = Los Angeles Rams; DAL = Dallas Cowboys; DET = Detroit Lions; WAS = Washington Commanders. Super Bowl LV was a designated neutral-site game played at Raymond James Stadium.
Sources: official Vea game logs and the postseason statistics linked above.
Family, community & a surprising first sport
Beyond the trenches
Vea’s parents came to California from Tonga. In a University of Washington profile, he credited his mother’s work ethic as a powerful influence and spoke about wanting to give back to her. The story behind the imposing defensive lineman includes family responsibility, academic growth and service.
There is also a less obvious sporting beginning: tennis. In a Buccaneers interview, Vea said he played for eight years in an after-school program and credited the sport with helping his agility and coordination. Long before NFL double-teams, he was learning to move his feet on a different kind of court.
Sources: Washington’s family and academic profile and Vea’s tennis and football interview.
- 2017
Service alongside football. Washington honored Vea with its Tyee Sports Council Community Service Award. University biography.
- 2018
A cause close to his new home. For My Cause My Cleats, Vea represented the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Foundation. He cited Rookie Club visits to Metropolitan Ministries and Moffitt Cancer Center among the experiences that inspired his choice. His cause and community visits.
- August 2026
A continuing commitment to Tampa. His new contract extends through the 2027 season, keeping a familiar presence at the heart of the Buccaneers’ defense. Extension announcement.
- September 2026
Chosen by his teammates. Vea became a team captain for the fifth consecutive year. Captain announcement.
Sources & statistical notes
Published November 2, 2026. Regular-season figures include games completed through November 1, 2026; the 2026 season is unfinished. Postseason figures cover Vea’s appearances through the 2024 season. Tampa Bay did not reach the playoffs after the 2025 season.
- Identity and profile: Buccaneers player biography, the team’s full-name introduction and the 2023 Buccaneers media guide for date of birth. Listed height and weight follow the current roster.
- Defensive statistics: annual Buccaneers team tables linked beside each section. Tackles use those tables’ combined, solo and assisted figures consistently. Regular-season totals include the partial 2026 season; postseason totals are separate.
- Championship history: the January 2021 return report, NFC Championship recap and Super Bowl LV recap linked in the feature. Team defensive achievements are identified as team totals.
- College, family and community: University of Washington Athletics, UW Tyee Club and the Buccaneers’ direct interviews and community reports linked above.
- Current status: the August 2026 contract reports, September 2026 captain announcement and current player game log. Team season history is available in the Buccaneers archive.