How Rondé Barber revolutionized the cornerback position

Undersized but dominant, Hall of Famer Rondé Barber redefined what it meant to be an impact player as an NFL cornerback

A third-round pick in the 1997 NFL draft out of Virginia, Rondé Barber was an undersized cornerback overcame plenty of doubters to become one of the greatest players in pro football history.

Barber spent all 16 of his NFL seasons with the Tampa Buccaneers, revolutionizing what it meant to be an impact player at the cornerback position, making big plays in every way possible.

No. 20 owns multiple NFL records, including being the only player in league history with at least 45 interceptions and 25 sacks in a career.

So, how did he do it?

Here’s a quick recap of how Barber redefined an entire position in the NFL:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/zUeYZqMPk-8

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WATCH: Rondé Barber’s career highlights

Relive all the best plays from Rondé Barber’s legendary Hall of Fame career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

One of the most legendary players in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history, Hall of Fame cornerback Rondé Barber turns 49 years old today, so let’s celebrate by looking back at some of the best plays from his incredible 16-year career.

A third-round pick in the 1997 NFL draft out of Virginia, Barber was an afterthought early in his career, but he eventually became a revolutionary player who redefined what it meant to be an impact player at the cornerback position.

A big-play machine, Barber finally received his long-awaited place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame last year.

Here’s a look back at all the best plays from his legendary career:

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WATCH: Rondé Barber’s Hall of Fame speech

Relive Rondé Barber’s awesome induction speech at the Pro Football Hall of Fame

After a long wait, Tampa Bay Buccaneers legend Rondé Barber was finally inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023.

One of the most unique and dynamic playmakers in the history of the game, Barber redefined the slot/nickel cornerback position, revolutionizing the game. He was finally rewarded with his gold jacket and a bronze bust in Canton, joining three other members of Tampa Bay’s legendary Super Bowl defense of 2002.

Back in August, Barber delivered an impassioned speech at the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony, recounting his incredible journey on the gridiron from third-round draft pick to football immortality:

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Check out this awesome Rondé Barber documentary

Celebrate Rondé Barber’s birthday by checking out this fantastic documentary about his legendary football journey

One of the most legendary players in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history, Rondé Barber turns 49 today, so we’re celebrating with all kinds of No. 20 content today.

Barber’s rise from third-round draft pick to Pro Football Hall of Famer is the stuff of legend, as he overcame doubts about his size to become one of the most dynamic playmakers in NFL history.

Spending all 16 of his NFL seasons with the Bucs, Barber gave Tampa Bay fans a seemingly endless highlight reel, and remains an active member of the community.

If you haven’t seen it yet, make sure to check out this fantastic documentary about Barber’s incredible journey:

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WATCH: Bucs legend Rondé Barber shuts down Veterans Stadium

Celebrate Rondé Barber’s birthday by reliving the most iconic play in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history

We never miss an opportunity to bring back the most iconic play in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history, and considering today is Rondé Barber’s birthday, we’re gonna do it again.

Barber turns 49 years old today, but we’re gonna turn the clock all the way back to January of 2003, when he sealed the Bucs’ legendary 27-10 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC title game, sending Tampa Bay to their first Super Bowl in franchise history.

No. 20’s memorable pick-six in the final minutes also sealed the Eagles’ fate in their final home game at Veterans Stadium.

Here’s the moment, for your viewing pleasure:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCHvKUzTK4k&t=11s

Yeah, I could watch that all day.

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Bucs legend Rondé Barber breaks down top CBs in 2024 NFL draft

See how Hall of Famer Rondé Barber stacks the top of the cornerback class in the 2024 NFL draft

The 2024 NFL draft is right around the corner, and one of the most legendary players in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history is lending his expertise to breaking down some of this year’s top prospects.

Hall of Famer Rondé Barber recently evaluated his picks for the fop five cornerbacks in this year’s draft class.

Which prospects made Barber’s top-five list?

Check out the video above to find out.

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WATCH: CB Ronde Barber picks off Donovan McNabb at the Vet

We figured we’d post this highlight for no reason in particular.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are set to play the Philadelphia Eagles in the playoffs on Monday. That sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

The Bucs have a 3-2 record against the Eagles in the playoffs, spanning back to the first time the two played each other in 1979. The team has also won its last matchup against Philly in 2021, when Tom Brady and the Bucs beat Jalen Hurts and the Eagles 31-15 in Raymond James Stadium. Now, the two squads are set to play each other in Tampa again, with the Bucs looking to avenge a regular-season loss in Week 3 and the Eagles looking to avenge that Wild Card Weekend loss in 2021.

The most notable of these games happened in the 2002-03 season, when the two teams played each other in the NFC Championship. In the last Eagles game at Veterans Stadium, the Bucs were up on the Eagles 20-10 with around four minutes left. Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb dropped back to pass, but he didn’t see Bucs corner Ronde Barber, who jumped it an completed a pick-six to seal the game and send the Bucs to a Super Bowl they’d go on to win.

The play lives on in NFL lore as the play where Barber “shut down the Vet”, and for no particular reason, you can watch it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCHvKUzTK4k

Former Bucs CB Ronde Barber criticizes Tampa Bay secondary

Barber talked the Texans game with Raiders QB Rich Gannon and said that the Bucs “look like the worst secondary in football.”

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers turned in a dreadful performance on defense against the Houston Texans on Sunday, and a team legend wasn’t happy with it.

Former Bucs cornerback and Hall of Famer Ronde Barber spoke with former Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon for the 33rd Team, and the two discussed Tampa Bay’s loss to the Texans on the defensive side of the ball. And while Barber didn’t explicitly say that head coach Todd Bowles hasn’t coached the team well overall, he did mention that they certainly looked like it on Sunday.

“When you break down all those touchdowns, you’re gonna look at a secondary that doesn’t look coached well,” Barber said. “…It’s things that I look at and say ‘okay, that’s simple,’ but on the field, it’s not translating for this team.”

Barber also criticized the team’s use of Cover 4 defense (also known as “quarters” coverage), pointing out that safety help for cornerback Carlton Davis was often nowhere to be found during Houston’s splash plays. While Bowles has been known for his staunch defensive units in the past, Barber was particularly critical of the team’s defensive backs, saying that they looked like one of the NFL’s worst units on Sunday.

“To me, this was an embarrassing watch,” Barber said. “When I go back and watch it on film on Monday or Tuesday whenever I can stomach this, it’s probably gonna hit even harder — they look like the worst secondary in football.”

The Bucs’ secondary will have a chance to get back in Barber’s good graces when they play at home against Will Levis and the Tennessee Titans in Week 10 at 1 p.m. EST.

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Building a defense out of the All-Time Saints Villains

How would you build a defense from the Saints’ all-time rivals? Our picks include Deion Sanders, Kevin Greene, Ronde Barber, and Aaron Donald:

Who would you pick for a defense stocked with the New Orleans Saints’ all-time rivals? Which players would you choose to highlight as the most challenging opponents the Saints have ever lined up against?

There’s a surprising amount of Hall of Fame talent to choose from. Deion Sanders is the big name, but Kevin Greene deserves recognition. Ronde Barber will soon join them in enshrinement. Eventually Aaron Donald will get in, too. But they’re just some of the defenders who have given New Orleans trouble over the years. Here are our picks:

All-Time Saints Villains: Who has the most interceptions against New Orleans?

Who has intercepted the most passes from Saints quarterbacks? Hall of Famers like Ronde Barber, Rod Woodson, and Ronnie Lott have haunted them over the years:

We’re continuing our series on the New Orleans Saints’ all-time greatest opponents by shifting attention to defense, thanks to StatMuse. This time we’re looking at the best ballhawks to suit up against New Orleans — a list that includes Pro Football Hall of Famers like Ronde Barber, Ronnie Lott, and Rod Woodson, along with some other annoyingly effective defensive backs.

Let’s get to it, sorting by total interceptions and then return yards: