On Tuesday morning it was reported by Rick Stroud that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would not induct anyone into the team’s Ring of Honor this season. This comes after the speculation that franchise icons such as Lavonte David and Gene Deckerhoff could be a candidate this year in their first season after retiring.
Both of these men are absolutely deserving and will eventually be inducted. The future Hall of Fame linebacker and longtime radio voice of the Bucs have carved their place out in team history. No one can deny that both belong.
However, I’m absolutely in favor of neither getting in this season. It’s not something that has to happen right away, so why rush it? In fact, I’d say there is every reason not to be overly quick to put them in.
Bottom line, the Buccaneers not adding to the Ring of Honor is fantastic news.
Through 50 seasons, the Bucs have added 16 people to their ring of honor. This includes players, coaches and owners. Even so, that’s basically an addition every one in three years.
Has the Buccaneers history really been good enough to induct people into their Ring of Honor in over 30% of their seasons? There are so many that have to be recognized for the team with the worst historical winning percentage in NFL history? Feels like a stretch.
The Ring of Honor should be rarified air. People who defined the Buccaneers during their time. The more mediocrity added, the less meaningful it becomes.
Again, that’s not to say that David or Deckerhoff don’t belong. Both absolutely do. But do we really need guys like James Wilder (a popular candidate to get in) or Doug Williams (who is already in)? I’d say no.
It should only be the excellent. Players who were a major part of a championship or who defined their era of Buccaneer football. Guys like Lee Roy Selmon or Jimmie Giles.
Also consider that the Bucs will have a lot of players coming up who helped them win their most recent Super Bowl. Guys like Mike Evans, Vita Vea and
Tristan Wirfs will be names to look at over the next 15 years and all will get in. And that doesn’t include other stars such as Tom Brady, Ali Marpet, Ryan Jensen, Shaq Barrett, Chris Godwin and Todd Bowles who were also a major part of that championship team.
The Bucs should be conservative with who is getting in. If they are putting a new name in the Ring of Honor every other season or every third season, then that’s probably too much. Keep it rare and keep it special.
For example the Dallas Cowboys only have 24 members in their Ring of Honor. Keep in mind that this is a franchise that has been around 16 years longer and won more than twice as many Super Bowls as the Bucs. They have a longer, richer history.
Similarly, the San Francisco 49ers only have 12 players with the honor or retired numbers. Again an older franchise with more than twice as many Super Bowls as the Bucs.
This is the same type of standard of excellence that the Buccaneers should keep. By all means, put Davis and Deckerhoff in the Ring of Honor. But there is no reason that the Bucs should rush to the altar to do this.
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