Today is a sad day in Buccaneer land, as 16 year veteran Ronde Barber is hanging up the cleats. After 16 years, Ronde never missed a game and never wore any other uniform but a Tampa Bay Jersey, and he wanted to finish that way.
"Ronde is synonymous with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, establishing himself as one of our franchise's iconic players over a 16-year, Hall of Fame- worthy career," said Buccaneers Co-Chairman Joel Glazer. "When anyone thinks of Ronde, they think of a true professional and leader. He approached every day the same, giving everything he had to make himself and his teammates the best they could be. We will miss him."
I don't think it could be said any better than what Glazer said. Ronde was loved in Tampa, and he is going to be missed there. Lets take a look at what he did in those 16 years with the club.
He has recorded 47 interceptions and 28 sacks in his career. This makes him the only player in NFL history with at least 40 picks and 25 sacks. Along with this he has more sacks than any other cornerback in league history, and he is 16th most in interception return yards. Ronde also made 200 of his 232 career starts consecutively at cornerback, the longest streak by any cornerback in NFL history. With all those starts happening Barber became the only defensive back since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to start each one of his team's games for 12 consecutive seasons. He's also scored a remarkable 14 non-offensive touchdowns (you can make it 15 if you count the playoffs), this is fourth-best total in NFL history behind only that of Deion Sanders, Devin Hester, and Rod Woodson.
With stats like these Barber earned himself five trips to the Pro Bowl and five Associated Press All-Pro selections, three first-team and two second-team. Barber also was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 2000s. Barber has won nine NFC Player of the Week Awards (plus one more in the postseason), the most in Tampa Bay Buccaneers team franchise history. He was a key part of 11 top-10 defenses and three number one-ranked pass defenses. And last but not least, Ronde helped lead the 2002 Buccaneers to the first Super Bowl Championship in franchise history.
With all the awards, and numbers that he put up, it's just a waiting game now to see when (not if) he gets into the Hall of Fame. My personal opinion, he will be a first ballet Hall of Famer. You can try and argue that he wont, but then I will just have to tell you to look at his numbers, because numbers never lie. Barber is in the top of every category there is to have for his position, so it really makes sense for him to retire. There's really nothing else to accomplish, except another Championship, but I don't see that happening in the near future. I really hope I'm wrong on that last statement, because I am a huge Buccaneers fan.
Yes I am sad to see Ronde Barber go, but I understand it. He will be greatly missed, and the team will not be the same without his leadership out there.
Until next time,
You keep doing what you do, and I'll keep you up to date with everything sports.
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