TAMPA, Fla. — It’s not every day that you get a day named after you, but that’s what happened in downtown Tampa Wednesday.
Mayor Jane Castor officially proclaimed Sept. 20 Ronde Barber Day in honor of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Hall of Famer.
Barber was all smiles outside the Tampa Theater. First, he had the day, then the night, as fans and players walked the red carpet together for the world premiere of the documentary film, "Prototype…the Legacy of Ronde Barber."
It’s been 20 years since Barber held up that Vince Lombardi trophy in 2003, but for the fans in attendance, it still feels like yesterday.
“I’m not sure when they fell in love with me, but I fell in love with them in 1997 when I first got here. They respected the game that I played for 16 years, and I respected them that entire time,” said Barber.
It seemed like Barber stopped to shake hands and sign autographs with every single one of them.
“He’s a great guy, good in the community, good with his fans,” said William Dorreman.
“It’s an honor just to come out and be in the presence of a Hall of Famer,” said Carl Anderson.
The love and respect for Barber continued with current players, like fellow defensive back Jamel Dean, who grew up idolizing Barber.
“I feel like I’m just witnessing greatness right now, it doesn’t feel real to me, but just seeing Ronde wearing the Hall of Fame jacket, you got no choice but to believe it,” said Dean.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield spoke about how inspiring Barber's career has been for him.
“The mentality of people telling him he couldn’t do something, and obviously he achieved it at the extreme highest level he could, so I respect him a ton, so we are happy to be here,” said Mayfield.
Barber said he appreciates everyone who came out to share on this occasion and can’t wait to hear their feedback on the movie.
“It’s going to tell a story that some people probably know, that a lot of people don’t know, it's going to be action-packed, it will also be emotional,” said Barber. “Just another way for me to celebrate being number 363 in the Hall of Fame.”
