Bucs Gameday

Buccaneers legend to be placed in Bucs Ring of Honor

It's been a long wait, but one of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' greatest defensive players is finally receiving the recognition he deserves.

Collin Haalboom

Dec 05, 2004; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers lineman Simeon Rice in action at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Imagn Images (©) Copyright 2004 by Preston Mack
Dec 05, 2004; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers lineman Simeon Rice in action at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Imagn Images (©) Copyright 2004 by Preston Mack / Imagn Images
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the early 2000s are rightfully recognized as one of the greatest defenses in NFL history. Monte Kiffin's group was absolutely loaded with talent at all levels, and they proved to be an unstoppable force as they dominated their competition before eventually eviscerating the Oakland Raiders by a score of 48-21 in Super Bowl 37.

It was the first Super Bowl victory for the Tampa Bay Buccanees and their fans.

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The majority of defensive players from that championship team have since received their due respect, including Derrick Brooks, Warren Sapp, John Lynch and Ronde Barber, each of whom has not only been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but the Bucs' Ring of Honor as well. Head coach Jon Gruden and Defensive Coordinator Monte Kiffin are also members of the Buccaneers' Ring of Honor, with their names displayed prominently along the walls of Raymond James Stadium.

Although it's impossible to acknowledge every contributor from that era of Buccaneers football, until today, one key player has remained on the outside looking in. That player is Simeon Rice, and on Thursday, news broke that he would finally be inducted into the Bucs Ring of Honor, per the Tampa Bay Times' Rick Stroud.

Rice was a dominant player off the edge for the Buccaneers, and he remains one of the more underrated players from that era. Rice led the NFL in sacks from 1998-2005, and by the time he had retired, he had totalled an impressive 122 sacks —  the vast majority coming in a Buccaneers uniform. He was a one-time First Team All-Pro and a two-time Pro Bowler.

Whether or not Rice will ever hear his name called to join the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, there's no question that this honor from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' franchise was long overdue.

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Collin Haalboom
COLLIN HAALBOOM

Prior to joining BucsGameday and Sports Illustrated, Collin's written content was provided through Bucs Banter, and NFL Draft Lounge. He is also the creator and host of the Bucs Banter Podcast. He is a graduate of the Communication Studies program at McMaster University, where he was also a varsity basketball player, and later an advanced scout. He lives with his wife and two children in Hamilton, ON. You can follow Collin on YouTube and Twitter.

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