Rondé Barber Named A Hall Of Fame Finalist For The First Time
January 5th, 2021
It’s official. The votes from the esteemed panel of 40-plus selectors are in.
Buccaneers icon Rondé Barber has busted into the finalist level of the Hall of Fame selection process for the first time.
Today, Barber made the cut to the final 15 modern-era candidates that will be presented for a vote later this month.
Below are the 15 ex-players who will be presented for a vote to decide the five-man (maximum) class of 2021.
Sage JoeBucsFan.com columnist Ira Kaufman is the Tampa Bay area’s lone Hall of Fame voter, and he will present the case for Barber and John Lynch.
Jared Allen, DE – 2004-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2008-2013 Minnesota Vikings, 2014-15 Chicago Bears, 2015 Carolina Panthers
Rondé Barber, CB/S – 1997-2012 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tony Boselli, Left Tackle – 1995-2001 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2002 Houston Texans (injured reserve)
LeRoy Butler, S – 1990-2001 Green Bay Packers
Alan Faneca, Guard – 1998-2007 Pittsburgh Steelers, 2008-09 New York Jets, 2010 Arizona Cardinals
Torry Holt, WR – 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars
Calvin Johnson, WR – 2007-2015 Detroit Lions
John Lynch, S – 1993-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2004-07 Denver Broncos
Peyton Manning, QB – 1998-2011 Indianapolis Colts (injured reserve 2011), 2012-15 Denver Broncos
Clay Matthews Jr., LB – 1978-1993 Cleveland Browns, 1994-96 Atlanta Falcons
Sam Mills, LB – 1986-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-97 Carolina Panthers
Richard Seymour, DE/DT – 2001-08 New England Patriots, 2009-2012 Oakland Raiders
Zach Thomas, LB – 1996-2007 Miami Dolphins, 2008 Dallas Cowboys
Reggie Wayne, WR – 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts
Charles Woodson, CB/S – 1998-2005, 2013-15 Oakland Raiders, 2006-2012 Green Bay Packers
So will Barber get in?
Well, Joe’s impressed that voters stepped up and put Barber in the final-15, so Joe believes anything is possible in this diverse and super-accomplished field.
Charles Woodson is a nine-time Pro Bowler and a Super Bowl winner who made a phenomenal transition to safety late in his career. Joe hates to type it, but Woodson had a better career than Barber. And that’s just one example of the challenge to get Barber in this year.
Ira Kaufman likes to say Barber defined the nickel corner position and has freakish statistics, in addition to the quality of his play. So he’s certainly a hell of a candidate.
Will Barber take votes from Lynch, and vice versa? Of course!
It’s a political process and that kind of thinking would define politics: a voter deciding he/she doesn’t want to vote for two Buccaneers from the same team in one year because it doesn’t feel fair.
January 5th, 2021 at 6:23 pm
I can still see him high tailing it down the sidelines …
January 5th, 2021 at 6:24 pm
HELL YEAH! My very first jersey in 2002.
January 5th, 2021 at 6:30 pm
Hell Yeah he will!!
January 5th, 2021 at 6:37 pm
This is the year for John Lynch.
My choice for the 5 this year are:
1. Peyton Manning
2. Charles Woodson
3. Reggie Wayne
4. John Lynch
5. Tony Boselli
I think Ronde will probably get in but it will take a few more years.
January 5th, 2021 at 6:38 pm
It would make me extremely happy for him to get the jacket. He seems to be a great guy, and great player, that made one of the most memorable plays in Bucs history.
January 5th, 2021 at 6:41 pm
Peyton Manning
Calvin Johnson
Zach Thomas
Charles Woodson
John Lynch
January 5th, 2021 at 6:42 pm
Awesome news. Congrats to Ronde on this huge step! Now it’s time for Ira to share those damn impressive stats, that will surprise the voters. Unfortunately, I don’t believe he gets in this year because two other DBs will get in.
Manning and Woodson are locks.
I do believe this is Lynch’s year though.
One WR (Wayne or Holt) and I think Boselli get in.
Side note: I think it’s a travesty that Zach Thomas hasn’t gotten in yet
January 5th, 2021 at 6:42 pm
Ronde has many more qualifications for the HOF than Lynch… and I love #47…
Trivia Lynch never returned a INT for a TD as a Buccaneer
January 5th, 2021 at 6:49 pm
Barber will get in. While I hope he gets in, I doubt Lynch will. Why? He was too good at devastating hits when they were legal. Kind of like Thomas Jefferson. Great man in his time, did everything legally WRT slavery. Like at one time smoking was great–n the 60s you were a nerd if you didn’t smoke, a social outcast. Now it’s the opposite. But, like Jefferson, hundreds of years later what was legal then and clearly viewed as wrong now will mean Lynch pays the price and his play cannot be rewarded, as he was dangerous physically for anyone who get near him with a football. Great guy and fantastic GM, but many in football want to forget his lethal, awesome play that was not so long ago. Sweep play like that under the rug. That’s my hunch.
January 5th, 2021 at 6:50 pm
I’m partial to Barber over Lynch. Still stunned that Denver put Lynch in their Ring of Honor. That’s the equivalent of putting JPP in the Bucs one after his current body of work only. Good…but not Ring of Honor worthy at this time.
January 5th, 2021 at 6:55 pm
Woooooooooo! Congrats Ronde, definitely deserved!
Highly doubtful him and Lynch would both get in the same year, but this is long overdue. I would actually put Ronde in over Lunch.
Well he says that because it’s true! No other cornerback has the stats that Ronde does. No one! And a SB ring on one of the most dominant defenses ever. Cmon man!
January 5th, 2021 at 6:55 pm
Manning and Woodson are no-brainers that even the corrupt buffoons (most, not all) that vote can’t mess up. I’m shocked that Barber and Lynch even made the final 15 and I’d be amazed if either makes it in this year. Having the super bowl in Tampa should help their cause, but I have zero faith that the “good ole boys/girls” will do the right thing.
January 5th, 2021 at 6:55 pm
Peyton Manning
Charles Woodson
Tony Boselli
Calvin Johnson
They were just the best at their position at some point.
Not sure that I can say that about anyone else on the list.
Not saying that is who is getting in either.
January 5th, 2021 at 7:01 pm
Ronde will get in soon, Lynch probably not ever.
January 5th, 2021 at 7:04 pm
Manning
Woodson
Boselli
Faneca
Barber
January 5th, 2021 at 7:04 pm
It’s political and the NFL loves a good story in a bad year. Barber and Lynch going into the hall together when the Bucs host and (hopefully play in) the super bowl would be a great storyline.
January 5th, 2021 at 7:14 pm
Sorry but Zack Thomas does not deserve to be on this list.
January 5th, 2021 at 7:25 pm
Barber is arguably the greatest corner to ever play. Should have been a first ballot.
January 5th, 2021 at 7:54 pm
Long overdue. A legend
January 5th, 2021 at 8:00 pm
Zach Thomas is NOT a hall of famer in ANY capacity…
We gotta stop this ish….
January 5th, 2021 at 8:13 pm
Roy
I agree💯, think what his intro highlight video would be….
NFL won’t have that.
January 5th, 2021 at 8:36 pm
I’m afraid John Lynch is getting a little long in the tooth. He’s been up many times and just can’t seem to get the final push. I believe both he and Barber are deserving. However, I doubt either get in this year.
January 5th, 2021 at 8:46 pm
No. Barber and Lynch are screwed by the numbers. And sorry, but Ira has not proven to be able to make a case. Get Erin Andrews, and I am dead serious.
January 5th, 2021 at 8:56 pm
Ronde more so than Lynch. He simply made more pivotal plays than Lynch and was a better CB than Lynch was a safety. Unfortunately he’s not a no brainer like Sapp or Brooks because so many view him as a system cb no matter his stats. He was a beast never scared to tackle like HOFer Slime Time but he plays for Tampa so good chance they’ll overlook him unfortunately.
January 5th, 2021 at 9:11 pm
Alvin
It’s because of the big hits…
I know I loved having him on the team. Bad ass enforcer, who made receivers keep their head on a swivel. You know the good old days of real football…
Hard not be proud of 47.
January 5th, 2021 at 9:21 pm
If Ronde played in NY, Dallas, Pittsburgh or any of the other big market/NFL darling cities, he’d already be in.
January 5th, 2021 at 9:26 pm
Sell it Ira!!
January 5th, 2021 at 9:33 pm
Rice not being on the list is very sad once again.
January 5th, 2021 at 10:50 pm
Here’s all I can say about Tony Boselli – If you know an offensive lineman’s name long after he retires, he’s a hall of famer.
January 5th, 2021 at 11:15 pm
Barber is my favorite player of all time. I hope he gets in and it would be extra special this year since the Super Bowl is being played in Tampa.
January 6th, 2021 at 12:07 am
Yeah! Whoopie! Bravo! Great to hear, MF! 😋 🙄 😆
CONGRATULATIONS RONDE! YOU EARNED IT! … FINALLY! 😔 🤩
You, Brooks and Selmon epitomize the Bucs. Class acts all of the way!
January 6th, 2021 at 6:22 am
Looks like Simeon rice gets screwed again🤦🏻♂️The guys numbers are fantastic
January 6th, 2021 at 6:53 am
Congrats Ronde (and John Lynch). I think Ronde should get in based on how he defined the nickel position (they will say he is a system CB), but aren’t all players part of a system (with the exception of a few dominant players in any system – Moss, Sanders, Sapp). I’m afraid Ronde may get the Ken Riley treatment who is #5 all time in interceptions, unfortunately he passed in 2020 without going in the HOF, his problem was he played his entire career for the Bengals, teams like that only get a few guys in (the politics of it all). Imagine fifth overall in a league that was a running league at the time
January 6th, 2021 at 8:11 am
Manning
Boselli
Woodson
Johnson
those are locks, IMO. The 5th choice? Tough. My guess would be Reggie Wayne, but probably not with one WR already in. Barber has a shot.
January 6th, 2021 at 10:11 am
Great news!
January 7th, 2021 at 7:35 am
Jared Allen was a beast but how does he make it this far and not Simeon Rice,just baffling.