Ronde Barber is a former American football cornerback who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for his entire career. He was born on April 7, 1975, in Roanoke, Virginia, and attended the University of Virginia, where he played college football.
Barber was drafted by the Buccaneers in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He quickly established himself as a key player on the team, starting in all 16 games in his rookie season. Over the course of his career, Barber played in 241 games, starting in 232 of them. He was known for his durability and consistency, rarely missing games due to injury.
Barber was a versatile player who excelled in both pass coverage and run defense. He was particularly known for his ability to read quarterbacks and make interceptions. He finished his career with 47 interceptions, which is tied for the 28th most in NFL history. He also had 28 sacks, which is the most by a cornerback in NFL history.
Barber was a five-time Pro Bowler and a three-time First-Team All-Pro. He was also a member of the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team. In addition to his individual accolades, Barber was a key player on the Buccaneers' Super Bowl XXXVII championship team in 2002. He intercepted a pass from Oakland Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon and returned it for a touchdown in the game, which helped seal the victory for the Buccaneers.
Barber retired from the NFL after the 2012 season. He finished his career with 1,028 tackles, 28 sacks, 47 interceptions, 15 forced fumbles, and 12 touchdowns. He is widely regarded as one of the best cornerbacks in NFL history and is a likely candidate for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
🏈