We’re about six weeks out until Bucs training camp as are all the other NFL teams. This gives several outlets time to come up with different lists and player groups to decide who is the best of the best. ESPN took a crack at a concept as Aaron Schatz and Seth Walder have organized a quarter century team, naming the top players at each position from over the past 25 years from 2020 to 2025.
There are technically seven current or former Bucs players that are on this list. However, there are varying levels of which the players had significant meaning and ties to Tampa Bay and the Bucs’ specifically. There were two Bucs’ lifers, two players that brought a big, important impact to the franchise, and three players that had a cup of coffee in Tampa.
Legends That Best Represented The Bucs
The two Bucs on this list that spent their entire careers in Tampa Bay were also teammates once upon a time. They are Ring of Honor member and Hall of Famer, defensive back Ronde Barber, and future Ring of Honor member and hopeful future of Hall of Famer Lavonte David, who is entering his 14th year with the Bucs.
Barber was just inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2024. He played 16 years for Tampa Bay from 1997 to 2012 and holds several team and NFL records. He won a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay, their first in franchise history during the 2002 season. While Barber mostly played corner for the Bucs and moved to safety towards the end of his career, he is listed as a corner in this group. This is what was said about him.
Legendary Bucs CB Ronde Barber – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Barber was one of the integral parts of the “Tampa 2” defense that dominated the NFL in the early 2000s. Plenty of cornerbacks in that era played close to the line of scrimmage as part of a Cover 2 shell, but no one matched Barber’s numbers against the run and pass. He leads all defensive backs with 292 defeats since 2000; Charles Woodson is the only other defensive back above 220. Barber’s interceptions rank sixth in that span, and he also made the most tackles on running plays (477).
It’s great to see that David, who often gets overlooked around the league, get recognition as a top linebacker over the past 25 years. David has played in 198 regular season games and recorded 1,602 tackles, 39 sacks, 169 tackles for loss, 13 interceptions, 70 pass breakups, 31 forced fumbles and scored three defensive touchdowns. He’s an integral figure in Bucs’ history and on defense and helped the Bucs win their second Super Bowl in the 2020 season. David joins Ray Lewis, Bobby Wagner, Brian Urlacher and Luke Kuechly as the five players mentioned.
Bucs ILB Lavonte David – Photo by: USA Today
This was the writeup on David.
No linebacker over the past 25 years has dominated with splash plays quite like David. His 415 defeats rank third among all players since 1991 (behind Lewis and Junior Seau), while his 31.9 defeats per season rank first. David also has 330 pass tackle stops (tackles after pass receptions that prevent the offense from having a successful play). Derrick Brooks (275) is the only other player since 1991 with more than 240. It’s ridiculous that David has only two total Pro Bowl (2015) or first-team All-Pro (2013) selections, but we’re not letting that keep him off our team.
Bucs That Had Big Impact On The Organization
The next two Bucs on this list will be remembered for their contributions and move to Tampa but are better known for the other team they played for. That would of course be quarterback Tom Brady and tight end Rob Gronkowski, who each came to the Bucs in 2020.
Arguably the biggest storyline in NFL history came about in March of 2020 when Brady signed with the Bucs in free agency, ending his 20-year run with the Patriots. Not long after, Gronkowski, who had only played for the Patriots and was retired in 2019, was traded to Tampa.
Bucs QB Tom Brady – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Brady played three seasons from 2020 to 2022 and became the Bucs’ single season record holder in passing yards and touchdown passes. He won his seventh Super Bowl ring with the Bucs that 2020 season, making it a historic moment. Brady also broke the NFL passing yards record while in a Bucs uniform. He joins Peyton Manning and Patrick Mahomes on this list.
Here’s the breakdown of TB12.
The best evidence of Brady’s greatness is his all-time high in Super Bowl rings, of course, but he exemplified both team and individual success throughout his career. His 2007 season is the best in NFL history using both FTN’s DYAR metric and ESPN’s Total QBR. He was almost as good in 2010 despite playing in a completely different offense structured around two rookie tight ends.
For a long time, there was a great debate about who was better: Brady or Peyton Manning. But while Manning called it a career after his age-39 season, Brady won two Super Bowls in his 40s. Nobody has ever played so well for so long. — Schatz
Gronkowski played two seasons for the Bucs in 2020 and 2021, also contributing to the Super Bowl win and being the top tight end on the team. Arguably the greatest tight end of all time, Gronkowski may have played his best game as a Buc in that Super Bowl where he caught six catches for 67 yards and scored two touchdowns.
Bucs TE Rob Gronkowski and QB Tom Brady – Photo by: USA Today
While he had 45 catches, 623 yards and seven touchdowns in 16 games in 2020, Gronk was even better in 2021 with 55 catches for 802 yards and six touchdowns in just 12 games. He still has many ties to Tampa owning businesses and a home in the area after retirement. Gronk was joined on the list of tight ends with Travis Kelce and Tony Gonzalez. This was the comments about him.
Gronk’s 2011 season is the all-time greatest for a tight end in both standard stats (18 touchdowns) and advanced stats (461 DYAR). He ranked first in DYAR among tight ends three times and second another three times. Oh, and he was also a devastating blocker — he could basically be used as another offensive tackle during run plays.
Bucs Who Spent A Year Or Less In Tampa
Rounding out the group were players that spent time with the Bucs, but only for a year or less and are much more known for other teams they played for. They would be cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Richard Sherman along with wide receiver Julio Jones. Revis and Sherman join the aforementioned Ronde Barber as well as Champ Bailey and Patrick Peterson.
Included in Jones’ group at wide receiver were Randy Moss, Calvin Johnson, Terrell Owens, Marvin Harrison and Justin Jefferson. It appears that Mike Evans was snubbed from the list.
Former Bucs HC Greg Schiano and CB Darrelle Revis – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Revis had the most memorable time playing for the Bucs as it was highlighted by a blockbuster trade and signing in 2013. The Bucs acquired Revis from the Jets for the 13th overall pick and a 2014 fourth round conditional pick. They also signed Revis to a six-year $96 million contract making him the highest paid corner in NFL history, but no money was guaranteed to him.
In one season Revis played all 16 games and recorded 50 tackles, two interceptions, 11 pass breakups and two forced fumbles. The defense never used him the right way and he was released a year later due to the large contract but no guarantees on it.
Sherman joined the Bucs in 2021 after a slew of injuries to the secondary. He played in five games and started three of them before he had a season ending injury. Sherman recorded 11 tackles, one interception, one pass breakup and a fumble recovery, becoming more of a coach after he was out. He then retired following the season.
Bucs WR Julio Jones – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Jones was also at the tail end of his career when he joined the Bucs in 2022 attempting to win his first ring. He played in 10 games and was often injured, recording 24 catches for 299 yards and four touchdowns. Jones played one more year after for the Eagles and then retired.
Between Barber and David, it’s great that some long-time Bucs were represented. Click the link to see the whole quarter century team.