TAMPA, Fla. – Simeon Rice said when he was playing with the Bucs as a prolific edge rusher, he gave 100 percent, on and off the field. Never even had a girlfriend.
Rice would practice till 10 o’clock at night, even later. Now looking back, Rice, who will be inducted into the Bucs Ring of Honor on November 30 as the Bucs vs the Arizona Cardinals, believes it was worth it.
“I never really wanted to be a basketball player, even though I was pretty good at it,” Rice said. “I didn’t want to do anything else. I ran track a little bit. The only thing that mattered to me was playing football, and I love this game.”
Rice broke down crying when thinking about his late Mother and Father and wanted to pass along the message of commitment to his 2-year-old son James, who was sitting front row watching his Daddy at the press conference.
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“It’s how I celebrate my mother and father,” Rice said, crying. “That’s ok. They’re here in spirit.” The Illinois University 2X First-Team All-American and first-round pick of the Cardinals says he’s all about spending time with his little son now. He wants to show him how hard he committed to playing football at the NFL level and believes if you commit to something all the way, success can be had.
Rice started his NFL career with the Arizona Cardinals. In six seasons as a Buc, Rice amassed 69.5 sacks, the third most in Bucs history, only trailing Pro Football Hall of Famers Lee Roy Selmon and Warren Sapp. Rice went on a tear from 1998 to 2005, garnering a league-high 101.5 sacks, bettering Pro Football Hall of Famers Michael Strahan and Jason Taylor.
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“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,” Bucs Owner/Co-Chairman Bryan Glazer said.
Rice said getting into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton used to consume him. Not anymore. He feels the Bucs team that he played on with Pro Football Hall of Famers Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, John Lynch, and Ronde Barber was the 2nd best defensive team in NFL History. Rice believes the Chicago Bears’ defense of 1985 was number 1 overall.
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