It’s easy for Joe and Bucs fans to encourage icon Ronde Barber to play for the Bucs again next year. He’s been stellar this season and is clearly an invaluable influence on the young Bucs roster.

But after listening to Barber talk about his health on the Buccaneers Radio Network last night, Joe had to take pause.

Barber is a very physical cornerback, and Total Access host and former Buccaneer Dave Moore asked him about the toll on his body.

“There’s been about three weeks this year when I had 10 or 12 tackles that I did not feel good the next day. It takes me to about Thursday where I’m not limping around and I can get my arms above my head. But that’s just who I’ve been. It’s who I’ve always been,” Barber said. “That’s how I had to impress Monte Kiffin when I first started playing. You know I had to do those types of things to get on the football field and keep my position with this football team.

“It’s just carried over. Hopefully it’s rubbing off on my young guys. Because somebody’s going to have to do it after me.”

Barber referenced his “one knee that doesn’t straighten all the way out.” And he talked about his drive to play through injuries. He said he had a torn PCL (knee) and a broken bone in his hand during the Super Bowl run in 2002.

Now holding the NFL’s consecutive starts record at cornerback (174), Barber said his determiniation to never miss a game began during his sophomore year in high school, when twin brother Tiki Barber was the team’s starting running back and he was on the bench. Barber said he dealt with the same early struggles in college and pros, crediting former Bucs secondary coach Herm Edwards for sticking with him and being a driving motivator.

Barber went on to say he’s not a workout warrior. He said he routinely changes up his offseason regimen, this year going through biathalon training (running and cycling) with his wife.

“I’ve figured out how to work smart. I don’t kill myself in the offseason,” Barber said.

Joe’s just hoping Barber can stay healthy through 2010.