Ronde Barber Retires After 16 Seasons With Buccaneers


Three-time All-Pro Tampa Bay Bucs defensive back Ronde Barber is calling it quits.

Barber, a former third round draft pick who spent 16 seasons with the Buccaneers, is all set make his retirement official at a news conference at 2 pm Thursday.

“I’ve had a better run than I ever could’ve dreamed of having,” Barber said.

Ronde’s twin brother Tiki Barber, who retired from the Giants after the 2006 season, took to Twitter to confirm the news.

“Congrats & happy for my twin, Ronde, who’s hanging up the cleats!” Tiki tweeted.

During his 16-year career with the Bucs, Ronde Barber put together some impressive numbers including 1,428 tackles, 28 sacks, 47 interceptions, eight interception returns for touchdowns, 243 passes defensed, 15 forced fumbles, 11 fumble recoveries, and six additional touchdowns on fumble returns and blocked/deflected punts.

Barber’s 14 non-offensive touchdowns rank him fourth on the all-time list behind Deion Sanders (19), Devin Hester (18), and Rod Woodson (17).

Barber’s most memorable moment came in the 2003 NFC Championship Game when his 92-yard interception clinched the Buccaneers’ 27-10 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Tampa Bay went on to beat the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII.

“Ronde is synonymous with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, establishing himself as one of our franchise’s iconic players over a 16-year Hall of Fame-worthy career,” Joel Glazer, the Buccaneers’ co-chairman, said in a statement. “He approached every day the same, giving everything he had to make himself and his teammates the best they could be.”

In addition to his three All-Pro team selections, Barber was also a five-time Pro-Bowler and a 2000 selection to the All-Decade team.

CBS Sports notes he is the only player in league history with 40 or more interceptions and 20 or more sacks.

“No doubt about it, Ronde’s a Hall of Famer,” Barber’s former Tampa Bay Bucs teammate Derrick Brooks told USA TODAY Sports. “I wish him well. And I consider it an extreme honor to have had the opportunity to play with [him].”

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