Rondé Barber: Derrick Brooks May Have Been As Good As Lavonte David At Finding The Football And Tackling
January 18th, 2022
The headline is not sarcastic and you’re not reading it incorrectly.
Today, iconic Bucs cornerback Rondé Barber will be voted on by a panel of Pro Football Hall of Fame selectors for enshrinement this summer. Barber is back “in the room” of 15 finalists and only five will emerge with a spot in Canton (barring some odd voting technicalities).
Ironically, yesterday Barber was making a little Hall-related news himself on the Buccaneers Radio Network.
Barber, without a shred of doubt, hype or sarcasm in his voice, essentially said linebacker Lavonte David is a better run defender than legendary Bucs linebacker was.
“His ability to scrape and find the football and then make tackles is unparalleled really [to] me,” Barber said of David. ” I haven’t seen a guy that’s able to do that like he does. Maybe Derrick Brooks. … He makes Devin White better. I notice that when I watch the film.”
Whoa!
That’s crazy praise for David, and especially interesting given that Barber played with both David and Brooks.
What would Brooks say about Barber’s claim? That’s unclear. But consider what Brooks told WDAE radio about David after his rookie season.
“I’m very surprised that he stepped up as early as he did,” Brooks said of David. “And I shared with him in numerous conversations last season about how far ahead at this point in his career that he is than where I was. He was calling signals. He didn’t come off the field. My rookie year I didn’t call the signals. I didn’t say anything, and I didn’t play on third down as much. But he played every snap of defense and that was a lot put on him.”
Hopefully, one day Ira Kaufman will get to use these quotes presenting David for Hall of Fame induction.
January 18th, 2022 at 12:15 pm
Go Ronde Go!
You’re in the Vet………..it’s January 2002………..PICK…….HOUSE CALL!!!!
January 18th, 2022 at 12:15 pm
LaVonte David is the most underrated player in Bucs history , and quite possibly NFL history. David playing during the entire lost decade is part of the reason , but his numbers and longevity cannot be ignored . David frustrated Travis Kelce to no end in our SB win , and that was a huge contributing factor to stopping KC. David still has some good years left in the tank and Lavonte will ball out Sunday. Role model as a player and a man.
January 18th, 2022 at 12:20 pm
Tom Brady may help him get in the hall with the team finally getting more eyeballs, If Kuechly is HOFer, Damn right Lavonte is, he has a bit more impact play stats, TFLs, Forced Fumbles I believe a few
January 18th, 2022 at 12:22 pm
Definitely not as good as Mr. Brooks at catching the ball.
January 18th, 2022 at 12:26 pm
David is a beast!
It’s really a shame that most of his career was in the “lost decade” and he had to play with such a weak defensive “leader” like Batboy McCoy who accepted losing so effortlessly.
January 18th, 2022 at 12:35 pm
His numbers are better than Luke Kuechly!!! He should be a gold-jacket candidate!!!
January 18th, 2022 at 1:00 pm
He’s 100% right… but Brooks isn’t in the Hall of Fame solely because of his reputation as a run defender… it is due to his reputation as the greatest coverage LB in NFL history. David is good against the pass, Brooks was the best.
January 18th, 2022 at 1:09 pm
There has to be advanced statistics to bear this out. LVD is a great player but in my view he’s not on the same level as Brooks.
January 18th, 2022 at 1:09 pm
Gold jacket, green jacket, who gives a shi*
But in all seriousness, when it’s all said and done for him, LVD54 will get his due, and TB12 will have had much to do with it (like @jvato24 correctly pointed out)
January 18th, 2022 at 1:09 pm
Dwayne Wade said last week people will eventually forget about the greatness of Michael Jordan … just like they have with Jabar. It’s human nature.
Derrick Brooks was voted to 11 Pro Bowls, 5 first team All Pro, and DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR!! Like LVD, Brooks had a softspoken personality and played on several losing teams. The difference was Brooks was undeniably the best at his position.
I appreciate LVD and I respect his contributions, but DB was a different level.
January 18th, 2022 at 1:13 pm
@D-Rome… it would be fun to compare, but I think nearly impossible to do so between the two eras with the transformative changes that have occurred in NFL offenses
January 18th, 2022 at 1:18 pm
Do not look past the fact that DB55 was on a defense with multiple other HOF’ers , which certainly makes it much easier for you to ball out when surrounded by such greatness. Put LaVonte on that Bucs defense and you may have seen him with Brooks’ type accolades.
January 18th, 2022 at 4:01 pm
Say what you will about -Schiano, but he is an excellent coach when it comes to fundamentals and defensive player development. I imagine his influence helped mold LD into the player he’s become. I’d love to hear LD’s take on that experience.
January 18th, 2022 at 4:21 pm
Brooks is my favorite player ever, but who am I to argue with Ronde? Derrick was a gosh damn missile though and the best ever in coverage.
I’m tired of b!tching about how corrupt the hof process is. Ronde’s accomplishments speak for themselves. Do the right thing (mostly) idiot voters.
January 18th, 2022 at 4:21 pm
David is the only guy who I’ve seen be a 1st team all-pro, and not make the pro-bowl. I’m glad people are finally realizing how good he is, but it’s a travesty how little attention he got for most of his career, when he was literally the best LB in football, year after year.
January 18th, 2022 at 7:05 pm
I agree that LaVonte David is the most underrated player in Bucs history.
You see how Devin White played with LaVonte out with injury, and how much better he played with him back ?
January 18th, 2022 at 7:57 pm
There is a reason I have a Authentic size 58 David jersey!, That is enshrined in my man cave. I got Sapp Brooks, Barber, Alstott, Evans, Godwin, Donnie Abraham ( had for a looking time), Dilfer ( again had forever) but my main mantle piece has Sapp Brooks and David. I have the up most respect for our Nebraska LB
January 18th, 2022 at 8:07 pm
I LOVE Mike Evans. We know aboutME first 8 year record. LVD has a record that only he and 1 other player in NFL player have: In 2019, He joins Hall of Fame linebacker, former Baltimore Raven Ray Lewis, to have at least 1,000 tackles, have at least 20 sacks, and at least 10 interceptions within their first eight seasons. Some people think sharing an NFL record is worth more than one Pro Bowl. BTW, Ray Lewis was pretty good too
January 18th, 2022 at 9:39 pm
Strike the headline… Reverse it.
January 18th, 2022 at 9:40 pm
my bad delete comment
January 18th, 2022 at 11:09 pm
What a joke. If Derrick Brooks were on this team, David would’ve been as expendable as Kwon Alexander. David is a very good LB, great at times, but Brooks changed offensive game plans, changed games, and elevated his team for years.
January 18th, 2022 at 11:19 pm
Ronde n LVD. Love ronde got to watch his whole career. Love david. Got to watch his whole career. Man Tampa has produced some of the best defensive players to walk on a football field. Hope they both make it. Ronde got to play on some badass defenses. David got to play for one of the worst lol but still shined both great people too. Goo Bucs