At long last, Rondé Barber’s legacy arrives in Canton, where it always belonged

A semifinalist every year he was eligible, and a finalist the last three years in a row, maybe the Pro Football Hall of Fame just couldn’t figure out what to do with Rondé Barber.

That makes sense, I guess. Opposing quarterbacks never could either.

Barber was never your cookie-cutter cornerback, but he broke the mold with a skill set and a career that remains unmatched in NFL history to this day.

An ironman of epic proportions, Barber’s presence and impact on the field belied his 5-foot-10, 184-pound frame. The NFL record-holder for consecutive starts be a defensive back and by a cornerback, and the only player in league history with more than 45 interceptions and 25 sacks in his career, Barber revolutionized the game by creating his own position on defense, one that’s become vital to the way the game is played in the present day.

Barber didn’t miss a game for 15 years, putting up numbers nobody ever has, and delivering some of the most iconic moments in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history.

While some might still be confused as to how Barber arrived in Canton, those who watched him play, and those who had the misfortune of playing against him, are all too aware. You’ll hear naysayers squawk about how he was a “system corner,” revealing their ignorance of how the system never would have worked without No. 20.

None of that matters anymore.

He now joins three members of the Bucs defense that led the way to the first Lombardi Trophy in franchise history, cementing the legacy of one of the most dominant units in NFL history alongside Derrick Brooks, Warren Sapp, and John Lynch. All followed in the footsteps of the team’s first Hall of Famer, Lee Roy Selmon.

Always overlooked by outsiders, Barber always knew his value, as did those who wore the red and pewter alongside him. He was always a Hall of Famer, and now, everyone else can finally admit it.

More Hall of Fame!

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Story originally appeared on Buccaneers Wire