Former Buccaneers HC given Hall of Fame honor

The Senior Bowl is paying tribute to two familiar faces who helped build the winning culture in Tampa Bay.

Darius Hayes | May 7, 2025

Detailed view of a Tampa Bay Buccaneers helmet at State Farm Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Known as the showcase for NFL prospects, the Senior Bowl continues to spotlight the game’s biggest contributors.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers just added another chapter to their legacy, as two of the franchise’s former figures are receiving well-earned praise on the national stage.

Tampa Bay celebrates as the Senior Bowl announced its Hall of Fame class of 2025, which includes former Bucs NFL head coach Jon Gruden and former defensive back Richard Sherman.

Gruden guided Tampa Bay to its first Super Bowl championship in 2002. Gruden coached in the Senior Bowl four times, which included two as the coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Gruden is also a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Ring of Honor.

“It’s an honor to be selected to the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame,” Gruden said in the Senior Bowl's press release. “I took great pride in coaching the game and attending the game for many years. This was by far the best evaluation tool we had to prepare for our drafts. The game features hard-nosed players that are serious about their careers. We drafted several good ones over my career.”

Sherman joined Tampa Bay in 2021 during his final NFL season. He was a huge part of Seattle’s “Legion of Boom” defense, which led the NFL in pass defense in 2013 and 2014. After having 35 interceptions from 2011-2019, Sherman was selected to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team and was voted to the NFL First Team All-Pro list three times.

“To be invited to the Senior Bowl was an incredible honor and it gave me an opportunity to showcase my talent against some of the best in the nation,” Sherman said. “Being in that environment helped me elevate my game and get an invite to the combine. I’m forever grateful for the Senior Bowl because it helped shape my career in a positive way.”

As Gruden and Sherman take their place among the Senior Bowl’s elite, they also reaffirm the Buccaneers' legacy as a franchise forever connected to football greatness.

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