Simeon James Rice!
For nearly ten years, the name drove fear into opposing defenders with the same force that Rice drove quarterbacks into the ground.
Rice was taken in the 1996 NFL draft, 3rd overall, by the Arizona Cardinals. Simeon racked up an impressive career, winning numerous awards and accolades in his decade long career. Lucky for us, most of his career was with our beloved Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
We already know the stats, and if you’re like me, you probably bore your friends with the history of this once great player and his numerous exploits on the field.
There’s a lot of noise about his return to the Buccaneers and One Buc Place. Fans are clamoring for the Bucs to give him a shot and given the current state of the defense, he may not be a bad option.
Let’s face facts fans, Rice wants to compete in TODAY’S NFL, an environment where many of the players he wants to go up against are smaller than the players he came into the league with, and played against.
Yes, Simeon Rice is 43 years old now, and while the man looks to be in phenomenal shape, should Tampa Bay really trust the old man to hold up in the war that is the NFL trenches? Would he even pass the very strict PED test? This is the same player that couldn’t stick with a team after he left the Bay area and then retired, and that was when he was in football shape and practicing daily.
I’ve heard football described as 30% Talent and 70% Heart. I’m sure Rice has still has those qualities in him, the qualities that should see him on a bust in Canton, at the pro football Hall of fame. Personally, I’m still against the idea of signing Rice, I just don’t see it working out. Do we really need the circus that will come with signing him, especially after all the eyes already on the team thanks to Hard Knocks? Yes this defense is terrible and couldn’t stop a car with a stop sign, but I still don’t think it makes sense.
Father time has caught up with this once great player, and it’s best to leave the people wanting more. What’s more, his legacy could potentially be ruined by this move.
Sorry Simeon, but it’s not a good idea for you, and most importantly, the team!
Edited by: Harmeet Kapur
