Buccaneers great Ronde Barber again snubbed from HOF finalists

Another NFL Hall of Fame finalist class has arrived and Buccaneers Ring of Honor member Ronde Barber is nowhere to be seen.

Canton will elude Buccaneers great Ronde Barber for at least another year as yet again he has failed to show up as a finalist for Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2020. One of the most diverse corners in NFL history being passed over again, and regardless of how good the competition is it still appears that Barber was snubbed.

Barber, who was inducted into the Buccaneers Ring of Honor this year, was a Super Bowl Champion, a three-time First-team All-Pro selection, a two-time Second-team All-Pro selection, and a five-time Pro Bowler. As far as personal stats and team accolades go, Barber certainly has the history to be in the Hall of Fame.

Besides all of the awards and incredible stats — one of which was the interceptions leader in 2001 — Barber has been able to leave a substantial impact on the NFL with his time spent in the league and his versatility as a player. For starters, Barber’s longevity is almost enough to get him into Canton alone. Barber holds the record for most consecutive starts by a defensive back with 224.

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Barber was a member of the Buccaneers for 16 years, making him the longest-tenured player in Tampa Bay history. It’s longer than most players could hope for in a total career, much less on one team.

The final record that Barber holds is perhaps his most impressive. Ronde Barber is the only player in NFL history with 45+ interceptions and 25+ sacks, a record that’s not likely to be broken anytime soon.

In the modern era, corners are great at racking up interceptions but struggle to get to the passer. Outside linebacker and edge rushers are great at getting to the passer but struggle to get interceptions. Ronde Barber excelled at both.

In Barber’s best statistical year for interceptions he had 10 and led the entire league while also accounting for a sack. In Barber’s best statistical season for sacks, he had 5.5 with two interceptions. To give context for this, 5.5 sacks would have been fourth on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season.

Ronde Barber’s stats and accolades speak for themselves. While the competition for the Hall of Fame is comprised of all-time greats, Ronde Barber deserves to be in. Barber has been one of the shining points for the Buccaneers in the entire history of the team. Barber may have been passed up this year, but that just means that he is only one year closer to receiving what he is owed.