One of the most prolific pass rushers in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history will now receive the team's highest honor.
The Buccaneers officially announced that Super Bowl champion and two-time Pro Bowler Simeon Rice will be the franchise's 16th inductee into the team's Ring of Honor in the upcoming season.
"During his Hall of Fame-worthy 12-year career, Simeon Rice established himself as one of the most dominant pass rushers in NFL history and is immensely deserving of his place as the 16th member in the Buccaneers Ring of Honor," said Buccaneers owner/co-chairman Bryan Glazer, via the team's website. "Simeon arrived in Tampa prior to the 2001 season and immediately elevated our defense into one of the greatest of all time. He left an indelible mark on our franchise, and we look forward to honoring and celebrating his great career this upcoming season."
Rice was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals No. 3 overall in the 1996 NFL Draft and spent five seasons in the desert before signing with the Bucs prior to the 2001 season. So it's only appropriate that the Buccaneers hold the induction ceremony during halftime of Tampa Bay's Week 13 matchup with the Cards at Raymond James Stadium.
Rice joined a Bucs team in 2001 that made the postseason in 2000, carried by the defense. In his first season in Tampa Bay, he posted 64 tackles and 11 sacks as the Bucs fell to the Philadelphia Eagles in the postseason in 2001. After the loss, coach Tony Dungy was fired and the team was overhauled under new coach Jon Gruden.
Rice helped the team to a 48-21 Super Bowl championship over Gruden's old team, the then-Oakland Raiders and tallied five tackles and two sacks in the title game.
Rice made the Pro Bowl twice with the Cardinals and twice with the Buccaneers and was also named First-Team All-Pro in 2002 and Second-Team All-Pro in 2003. The Illinois product finished his career in 2007 with the Broncos after posting 483 tackles with 403 solo and 93 for loss over 12 seasons.
He added 122 sacks, five interceptions, 28 forced fumbles and eight fumble recoveries.