Not a lot of people believed Bucs’ great Ronde Barber could be a Pro Football Hall of Famer. Heck, some didn’t even think he’d make it as a starter in the NFL. But Ronde worked and believed, and now he’s got a Gold Jacket.
“It doesn’t matter where you come from,” Barber said in his speech.”It doesn’t matter where your journey started. Nobody gets to define you, but you.”
Barber played at the University of Virginia and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Bucs. But he didn’t play in his first season, and there was a time where doubt crept in, but Ronde says his former defensive backs coach Mike Tomblin, now the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, told him there was something special about his play. Ronde then got rid of that doubt and set out to become one of the greats.
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“This is one of the most humbling moments of my life,” Barber said. “Standing in front of you now and I can’t wait to proudly represent professional football and the Pro Football Hall of Fame as I wear this gold jacket.”
Barber went close to 15 minutes thanking all those along the way that made him a Pro Football Hall of Famer. His Mom was at the top of the list, and of course, his twin brother Tiki, who played for the NY Giants.
Barber is the only player in NFL history with 40-plus interceptions and 25-and-a-half sacks.
Barber joins Bucs defensive teammates Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, and John Lynch in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Pretty incredible.
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