Class of 2023: Rondé Barber — Proud to be relentlessly uncommon

Enshrinement Published on : 8/5/2023


By Barry Wilner 
Special to the Pro Football Hall of Fame 

Playing cornerback in the NFL can wear out a person. Particularly a cornerback charged with covering the very best receivers in football. 

That was never an issue for RONDÉ BARBER. 

For 215 consecutive regular-season games, an NFL record, and 224 including the playoffs, Barber was manning the corner for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Not only was he there, but Barber was blanketing the likes of Jerry Rice, Randy Moss, Marvin Harrison and Terrell Owens – all members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

And now, Barber has his own Gold Jacket.

“I’m not going to stand up here today and give you ordinary because I wasn’t an ordinary cornerback,” Barber told the crowd at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. “I stand here, amongst these legends of the game, remembering a time when I was never imagined to be a Pro Football Hall of Famer. My rookie year – hell, my second year – I was just hoping (GM) Rich McKay’s was not going to cut me.

“I’ve come a long way in these last 26 years.”

Barber, whose twin Tiki was a star running back for the New York Giants and presented his brother for induction, made the NFL All-Decade Team of the 2000s. He is the only defensive back since the merger in 1970 to start entire seasons for 13 straight years.

A significant cog of the great Buccaneers defense that also has Derrick Brooks, John Lynch and Warren Sapp with busts in Canton, Barber was a five-time All-Pro who also was selected to five Pro Bowls. In 2001 he led the NFL with 10 picks, even though opposing quarterbacks and offensive coordinators preferred to steer away from his side of the field.

“Sapp, Brooks, Lynch,” he said, “it’s time to lose ourselves in another moment.”

Barber was no slouch against the run, either, and was one of the best tacklers among DBs of his era. During 2003 and 2006 he was in on 100 tackles, and that number was 99 in both 2004-05. 
 
Playing cornerback in the NFL can wear out a person. That was never an issue for Ronde Barber.

Sacks? Cornerbacks don’t get many of those, right? Well, Barber did: His 28 are the most in NFL history for the position. Add in his 47 interceptions and 88 tackles for loss, and you have a player Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy and his defensive coordinator, Monte Kiffin, called the key to the Tampa-2 defense.

“To be the fourth Buc off of a single defense speaks to the lasting legacy of these two men,” Barber said. “Tony Dungy, each one of us has mentioned the man you are because it’s true. You set the standard on an off the field … our time shared in Tampa will be forever special.

“Monte Kiffin, God bless you, man, even though you couldn’t get my name pronounced right for 10 years – but I am all right with Randy; that’s cool. You took a good player, evolved a position around him and made me the best to ever play it.”

Barber also thanked his former secondary coach, current Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin, for providing guidance and inspiration.

Barber’s knack for finding the ball helped him score 14 touchdowns: eight on interceptions, four on fumble returns and two on blocked punts. He had two games with three picks.

The pinnacle of his playing career came with the 2002 Super Bowl title, but he brought his` A’ game in every playoff appearance, too.

“After today, there will be 23 corners in the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” Barber noted. “And I’m not like any of them because I couldn’t be.

I’m here because I refused to be just a guy. Ordinary was not an option. I set out to be uncommon. I am proud to be uncommon.

“The NFL is a special place. No matter where you come from, no matter where your journey started, no one gets to define you but you. The league will reward you if you dare to be uncommon. And just choose to be a little bit extraordinary.”

 
 

More on the Enshrinement of each class member

Class members are listed in order of their Enshrinement speeches:  

2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game


 
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