Tampa Bay Buccaneers former player Ronde Barber speaks in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Ronde Barber names who he'd like to see next in Buccaneers Ring of Honor

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI
By River Wells | Last updated Jun 21, 2025 6:15 PM ET

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers haven't put a name into their Ring of Honor since the induction of Bruce Arians in 2022. They'll put one more name in this season once edge rusher Simeon Rice makes it in, but some are already thinking about the next player to be inducted.

One of those people is franchise legend Ronde Barber, who played for the Bucs from 1997-2012. Barber revolutionized the nickel cornerback position in the NFL, and he was inducted into both the Buccaneers' Ring of Honor (2019) and the Pro Football Hall of Fame (2023) for his efforts. Now, he's got his own show with WFLA called the Ronde Barber show, and he has his pick locked in for the next Buccaneers Ring of Honor inductee.

Unsurprisingly, it's someone he played with in the past and someone who mentored most of Tampa Bay's future legends — former Buccaneers linebacker Hardy Nickerson.

I've got a list. I could tell you, like, five names... The No. 1 on my list, without a doubt, the next person that goes into the Bucs Ring of Honor needs to be Hardy Nickerson," Barber said. "When I got here in 1997, there was like a Darth Vader presence walking around the locker room and on the football field that just commanded respect. The way of doing your job was one person — 56."

Nickerson had a very accomplished career, netting two First Team All-Pros, two Second Team All-Pros, and five Pro Bowls. In 1993, he led the NFL in combined tackles with a staggering 214, and his excellent play allowed the Bucs defense to flourish under Tony Dungy.

His contributions weren't just on the field, however. Barber can attest firsthand that a lot of what he did for the Bucs happened off of it, too.

"It's an intangible... he came here in '93, and the culture changed when Tony [Dungy] got here, but Tony needed a guy to be the mouthpiece... it all started with Hardy," Barber said. "[Nickerson] was the guy that changed the culture here in Tampa. The way we went about doing our jobs, the manner of which we played the game, the physicality."

Rice wil get his flowers this year, but after that, there's quite a backlog of talent for Tampa Bay's Ring of Honor. Tom Brady, Warrick Dunn, James Wilder and Gerald McCoy are a few names Barber mentioned that Nickerson will have to beat out, but he'd certainly be deserving of a spot as Tampa Bay's often-unsung defensive hero.