Buccaneers need to listen to son of franchise legend

The Buccaneers Ring of Honor is filled with some of the best and most important players in franchise history with one key exception.

James Wilder is still the best running back in Buccaneers history.

We can split hairs with guys like Mike Alstott, but the main difference with Alstott was that he wasn’t asked to be the offense as Wilder was.

Wilder was the offense for the Buccaneers for two full seasons. No other player in the history of the team shares that distinction. 910 touches from 1984 to 1985 is a ridiculous thing to imagine. This was also done in the era before the pass was used to open up the run and take pressure off the running back.

These touches and the 3,870 yards they created were only a part of the story for Wilder, a player that still holds every major rushing record for the Buccaneers.

While the awards were not as plentiful as they should’ve been for someone who gave so much of their own body and health to the team, there was one honor that Wilder should’ve received long ago: a spot in the team Ring of Honor.

This recognition has eluded Wilder for years now, and his son isn’t having it.

Wilder Jr. is absolutely right. Setting these records and holding them for as long as Wilder has means something. Yes, the team success wasn’t there, but that shouldn’t play a role in an award like this. If the rest of those Buccaneers teams were half as good as Wilder, those teams would’ve been competing for Super Bowls.

It makes sense that the Bucs have to make hard decisions on who actually gets in. You never want to dilute the meaning of making it into such a select group. But holding the line at James Wilder is silly. He needs to be in the Ring of Honor, and the Buccaneers need to act quickly.

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