Simeon Rice Enters the Buccaneers Ring of Honor

When we talk about legendary pass rushers in NFL history, Buccaneers great Simeon Rice ‘s name can’t be left out. But when it comes to legendary pass rushers in the history of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Rice doesn’t just enter the conversation: he sits right at the head of the table. And this is what Simeon Rice and his induction into the Ring of Honor is all about.

Elegant, explosive, and devastating, Rice was a key part of the most dominant defense ever to wear the red and pewter colors. His impact goes far beyond the stats, but even they scream his greatness: 69.5 sacks in six seasons with the Bucs , third in franchise history behind only Lee Roy Selmon and Warren Sapp.

A perfect landing in Tampa

Rice joined the Buccaneers in 2001 after five seasons in Arizona, where he had already proven himself a quarterback-catching machine. But it was in Tampa, under the tutelage of Monte Kiffin and surrounded by defensive legends, where his talent truly exploded.

With Sapp on the inside and Rice on the outside, the Bucs’ defensive line became a nightmare for any offense. In his first year in Tampa, he already made his mark: 11 sacks and a vital role in the defense’s rise to elite status.

But it was in 2002 , the championship year, when Rice achieved Buccaneer immortality. He totaled 15.5 sacks in the regular season , and in the playoffs he was an unstoppable hurricane: two sacks in the NFC Championship Game against the Eagles, and another in Super Bowl XXXVII , where the Bucs crushed the Raiders. That day, Rice became a world champion and a legend forever. Simeon Rice and his entry into the Ring of Honor is justice to that.

The art of the pass rush

Simeon Rice wasn’t just effective: he was spectacular . His movements were almost choreographed, with a first step so quick it seemed to take off before the snap. He combined power, technique, and a special intuition to attack the weak point of the offensive defense.

Plus, he had a sense of showmanship that fit with Gruden’s Bucs’ identity: a team of defensive stars with charisma. Rice spoke loudly, played even louder, and never shied away from the big moments.

During his six seasons in Tampa, he surpassed 10 sacks five times . In 2005, his last full season as a starter, he was still a constant threat, with 14 sacks. Only a shoulder injury cut his career short.

A forgotten Hall of Famer?

Simeon Rice’s absence from the Hall of Fame is one of the great injustices of the voting process. His 122 official career sacks (although he insists it was more) place him among the most prolific of all time. His impact on a historic defense, his performance in key moments, and his consistency make him a more than worthy candidate.

But for some reason, he’s been ignored year after year. Perhaps because he never sought to be liked, or because his defiant personality rankled certain voters. The truth is that many of his teammates are already in Canton—Sapp, Brooks, Lynch—and he’s missing to complete the picture—well, him and our beloved Hispanic Kicker Martín Gramática. Simeon Rice and his entry into the Ring of Honor is the first step; the rest will come later.

An eternal Buccaneer legacy

Today, when looking at the history of the Buccaneers, one cannot talk about defensive greatness without mentioning Simeon Rice. His number 97 is synonymous with sacks, pressure, big plays, and rings. No pass rusher in the team’s recent history has come close to matching his level, and many young players have dreamed of replicating his style.

Rice was more than an edge rusher: he was a symbol of a golden era, a player with an immediate and sustained impact, and one of the key players responsible for Tampa Bay’s first championship in its history.