Home NFL Who Should The Buccaneers Induct Into The Ring Of Honor Next?

Buccaneers' defensive lineman Gerald McCoy / via CBS Sports

Who Should The Buccaneers Induct Into The Ring Of Honor Next?

June 25, 2025

As the Tampa Bay Buccaneers gear up for the 2025 season we celebrate the induction of Simeon Rice in the team’s Ring of Honor.

The question now becomes, who will be the next inductee added to the list of elite Buccaneers following Rice’s ceremony?

So we decided to have the krewe here at Bucs Report give us their choices. Enjoy!

Johnny Dean

Hardy Nickerson:

It is time for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to give serious and overdue consideration to adding Hardy Nickerson to their Ring of Honor.

Need Stats? Hardy set the single season record for Tackles in 1993, A record which still stands today. Nickerson Averaged 132 tackles per season over his entire 7 years with the Buccaneers. He totaled 936 tackles, 13 forced fumbles, 9 sacks and 7 Interceptions with the Bucs.

Hardy was selected to 5 Pro Bowls, All with the Bucs, (93,96,97,98,99). He was also a 2x first team All-Pro, (93,97.), and a member of the NFL 1990’s All Decade team. Nickerson was the first real big FA signing that paid off for the Bucs in the early 90s. He was a foundational piece of the Bucs defense that emerged in the late 90s.

The Glazers have had an issue with adding the old guard into the Ring of Honor. Hardy Nickerson should be the bridge that can bring that to an end.

Carter Brantley

Gerald McCoy:

Gerald McCoy is not Lee Roy Selmon.

He’s not Derrick Brooks.

The Bucs didn’t win a ring or anything while he was in a Bucs uniform.

But during a dark time of Bucs history (and there’s been a lot of that), McCoy was a lone bright spot, anchoring a defense that featured another elite talent in Lavonte David.

So, while McCoy wasn’t the best player in franchise history or anything, his status as a 6-time Pro Bowler and 3-time All-Pro is more than enough to earn his place in the Ring of Honor.

Let’s see them do the right thing, because without McCoy, who knows if those foundations that were set in place for the 2020 Super Bowl are there?

Alf Colmenar

Martin Gramática:

Martín Gramática wasn’t just the soul of “Buc Ball” — he was the silent MVP of a championship team. In an era where every point mattered, his right foot made the difference between victory and defeat. As Warren Sapp said: “You don’t mess with my coach, my quarterback, or my kicker.” Gramática was that third pillar: reliable, clutch, and essential.

But his legacy goes far beyond the field. As I detail in his biography, Martín’s story is one of resilience — an immigrant who escaped abuse and fought for a better life. He’s an inspiration. As Derrick Brooks said in his Hall of Fame speech: “Many of our wins came from his foot.” It’s time to put his name in the Ring of Honor.

JT Olson

Gerald McCoy:

I judge my Ring of Honor based on how great a player was during their time in Tampa Bay, including both individual success and how long the player was here. With that said, I’m ruling out guys like Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski at this point because their tenure was so short. Insted, I turn back the clock just a little further.

Gerald McCoy was one of the best defensive tackles of his era. During his nine years with the Bucs he was elected to the Pro Bowl six times and named an All Pro three times. His explosive pass rush and infectious personality was a bright spot in a lost era of Buccaneers football. Despite being stuck on many bad teams with very little help around him, he was one of the best players in franchise history.

Devin Sanguinett

Shaq Barrett:

There are a lot of older guys that have yet to make it into the ROH for the Bucs. Guys like Hardy Nickerson, James Wilder, Donnie Abraham, etc. Those guys do deserve their flowers. However, as a younger Bucs fan, my bias will trend towards more recent guys. A lot of arguments have been made for Brady to get inducted, but I want to look at the other side of the ball. Shaq Barrett is the exact kind of player you want to put into the ROH of your team. On the field he was a force to be reckoned with. His 37.5 sacks between 2019-2021 is tied only with Simeon Rice in a three year span. He also beat out Sapp’s sack record in 2019 when he first signed with the team with 19.5.

His arrival in Tampa truly signalled the turnaround for the team as the defense started rounding into the form that would hold the Chief’s to 9 points in the SB. In just the SB alone, he had 10 pressures, including six hurries, three quarterback hits and a sack. Without Barrett, there likely isn’t a boat parade.

Stevie “Coach Slick” Probert

Hardy Nickerson:

The Ring of honor is a place where the greatest of the great Buccaneers are acknowledged with their name and number affixed to Raymond James Stadium.

But who gets in? What’s the criteria?

To me it’s not just being great on and off field, it’s who is truly a Buccaneer to their core. A person who truly embodies what it is to be a Buc.

Hardy Nickerson’s Accolades

NFL 1993 tackle leader
Two 1st team All-Pros
Two 2nd team All-Pros
Five Pro bowls
NFL 90’s All Decade Team

A man who mentored the great Derrick Brooks. A man who had both played for and coached the Buccaneers. Nicknamed “Hardware” for his hard hits and for punishing running backs for daring to cross the line of scrimmage, he breathed new life into a soft Bucs defense. He’s a man who’s presence as a fierce defender was rewarded with his own Nike commercial, I nominate the great Hardy Nickerson!

BR Staff

James Wilder:

James Wilder was a key player for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, particularly in the early 1980s. He was a dominant back who consistently pounded the ball on the ground, creating holes for running backs from Jerry Eckwood to Lars Tate and others.

His blocking skills were exceptional, and he was a crucial part of the Buccaneers’ offense during that period. Given his contributions to the team’s success, it’s definitely worth considering him for the Ring of Honor. His physical play and dedication to his craft earned him recognition as one of the best backs in the league at the time.

Summary

We have a tie! Both Gerald McCoy and Hardy Nickerson received two votes on our list. That can only mean it’s up to you, the Bucs fans to break the tie. Let us know in the comments section who it should be, McCoy or Nickerson?