The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been hard at work this offseason as they attempt to find a way back to the Super Bowl for the first time since their 31-9 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs back in Super Bowl LV. Before they do that, though, it sounds like the Buccaneers are going to honor one of their former Super Bowl champions, Simeon Rice, during the 2025 season.
The No. 3 overall pick of the 1996 NFL draft, Rice was selected by the Arizona Cardinals, where he immediately won the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award after he racked up 12.5 sacks. Rice would play five seasons with the Cardinals before he would sign with the Bucs in free agency, where he managed to turn himself into one of the best all-around defensive linemen in the league.
Simeon Rice Set to be Inducted into Buccaneers Ring of Honor
Rice immediately racked up 11 sacks in 2001 after latching on with Tampa Bay, but that proved to just be the start of his superstar turn. Rice put together the best season of his career in 2002, racking up 15.5 sacks, 50 tackles (12 of which went for a loss), 11 passes batted, one interception, and he forced a safety as the cherry on top. Rice earned the second of three Pro Bowl appearances and his only First Team All-Pro selection.
It comes as no coincidence that 2002 was the year the Buccaneers defeated the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII, as Rice led a dominant defense on a fairly effortless run through the postseason. Rice racked up four sacks in Tampa Bay’s three postseason games, while also forcing a fumble in every game too. Simply put, Rice was a one-man wrecking crew.
Rice would play for the Buccaneers until 2006, before he finished his career with the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts in 2007. He racked up 69.5 sacks during his six seasons with Tampa Bay, and his role in their Super Bowl victory made him a franchise legend. As a result, the team recently announced that Rice will be the next inductee into their Ring of Honor.
“Rice, 51, will become the 16th member of the Bucs Ring of Honor, joining Lee Roy Selmon, John McKay, Jimmie Giles, Paul Gruber, Sapp, Brooks, Mike Alstott, Doug Williams, Jon Gruden, Lynch, Dungy, Barber, Malcolm Glazer, Monte Kiffin and Bruce Arians,” Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reported on Thursday.
Buccaneers Hoping for Deep Playoff Run in 2025
GettyBaker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrates a touchdown in the first quarter of the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on December 15, 2024.
While the Buccaneers will honor Rice in the near future, their 2025 squad will be hoping to have several players make cases for themselves to be inducted into the Ring of Honor in the future. Tampa Bay has made the playoffs every year since winning the Super Bowl in 2020, but they have only two wins to show for it, which is something they will be looking to change this upcoming season.
The good news is that the Bucs have a proven star core in place, and when they are playing their best football, they are a very tough team to eliminate. Rice always knew how to deliver when the lights were at their brightest, and that’s a trait Tampa Bay will be looking to develop as the 2025 campaign unfolds.
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