Watch: Bucs legend Ronde Barber receives his Hall of Fame jacket (Video)
Ronde Barber will finally be inducted into the Hall of Fame on August 5th.
By Josh Hill
With training camp set to open in a few weeks and plenty of work left to do before the season starts, there is still one day circled on the calendar where everyone’s attention will be drawn to Canton.
Ronde Barber is the latest member of the iconic 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl team to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It was announced back in February that Barber would be among this year’s class and the moment we’ve waited his entire career for is right around the corner.
The Hall of Fame has already unveiled Barber’s memorabilia shrine, and he’s another step closer to induction after receiving gold jacket.
On Friday afternoon, the Hall of Fame shared a video of Barber unboxing the greatest trophy of his accomplished career.
Ronde Barber receives Hall of Fame gold jacket (Video)
When it came time for @rondebarber to open the package with his @HaggarCo Gold Jacket for the first time, he didn't do the honors by himself.
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) July 14, 2023
His dog, Jagger, helped. pic.twitter.com/U9haT6Vplg
It's real, finally.
After all the years he put in for the Buccaneers and the long post-career wait to get the call, Barber is a Hall of Famer. Barber is synonymous with not only the brooding Buccaneers defense that helped win a Super Bowl back in 2002 but the style in which the team went about its business. He bridged a few different eras in team history, being a part of the Tony Dungy 90s teams, the Jon Gruden teams, as well as the early-2010s teams.
Of course, the lasting image of Barber in the minds of many Bucs fans is his pick six off Donovan McNabb in the 2002 NFC Championship Game. It's a play that ranks among the greatest moments in franchise history.
Hearing his name announced during the NFL Honors was one thing, but to see the gold jacket finally reach Barber is something that won't leave a dry eye in the house.
Barber still has one more step left in his induction, as the ceremony where his bust is revealed is on August 5th. For those wondering, Barber is being joined by Chuck Howley, Joe Klecko, Darrelle Revis, Ken Riley, Joe Thomas, Zach Thomas, DeMarcus Ware, and Don Coryell as part of the Class of 2023.
He's long been a Hall of Famer in the hearts of Bucs fans but we will finally be able to see it become etched into the history of the game next month.
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