Saturday, Ronde Barber will be inducted into football immortality, part of the 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class. Though Barber had plenty of help along the way, he credited Mike Tomlin as a big reason why Barber will be wearing a gold jacket.
During the NBC broadcast of this year’s Hall of Fame game between the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets, Barber was interviewed by sideline reporter Melissa Stark, who asked Barber about Tomlin’s role and influence. Barber explained Tomlin’s influence and immediate impact to help elevate his game while encouraging him that he could become a great player, as tweeted by 93.7 The Fan’s Dominic DiTommaso.
“His influence on me is without words. He empowered me. He told me what I could be and went about methodically making me that guy. I love him to death.”
He went on to say that he and Tomlin are “best friends” to this day.
Here is the full quote from Barber on Tomlin.
“Well, when he came to Tampa in 2001, his first year at Tampa, I was a free agent that year actually, and I’d stayed and he was the first time defensive back coach for me after Herm left and I led the league interceptions. His influence on me is without words. I mean, he transformed me into the player that is now standing here in Canton getting ready to get a gold jacket. And there’s a lot of ways for me to describe it, but the reality is, he empowered me. He told me what I could be, and he went about methodically making me that guy. And here I am. I love him to death. We’re best friends still to this day. I can’t wait for him to get here. He is coming over from Pittsburgh and he’s one of the guys I’m most looking forward to sharing this weekend with.”
Barber was a third round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the 1997 NFL Draft. After seeing little playing time as a rookie, he cracked the starting lineup in 1998 and put up solid but unspectacular numbers over his first four years, six interceptions from 1997-2000. Tomlin was hired to be the team’s Defensive Backs Coach for 2001 and Barber exploded with a ten-interception campaign, earing a Pro Bowl and All-Pro vote. Those ten picks remains the Bucs’ record for most in a year.
While Tomlin was coaching Barber in Tampa, 2001 to 2005, he made two more Pro Bowls and All-Pro teams. Combined, he started 80 games, picking off 22 passes, returning two for touchdowns, with five forced fumbles. For his career, Barber picked off 47 passes across 241 games, making five Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams. A playmaker with the ball in his hands, Barber registered 12 career defensive touchdowns.
The respect is mutual between the two. Over the years, Tomlin has praised Barber for his football IQ and linebacker-like mentality. In 2021, Tomlin compared him to Minkah Fitzpatrick and gave a passionate answer about what made Barber so good.
“Ronde was so sharp that I started coaching Ronde like Sam linebacker, even though he was playing nickel,” Tomlin said on the Flying Coach Podcast. “He keyed the box and he played the run and he fit runs like a Sam linebacker. Really prior to that point, I didn’t know any secondary coaches coaching nickels in that way, to be honest with. Without a doubt, Ronde is the first nickel I saw in the National Football League chase a puller on a counter scheme and go make the tackle on the other side of the ball. And not stumble into it. I’m talking about he keyed it and played it. I tell that story because it’s really the same approach that I take in terms of dealing with Minkah. Minkah has that level of football intellect.”
This April, Barber joined Tomlin on a golf outing that raised more than $100,000 for the William & Mary’s lacrosse problem, where Tomlin played college football in the early 1990s. Barber’s daughter currently plays for the school’s women’s lacrosse team, too.
Barber was known for his effort and high football IQ. During the Hall of Fame broadcast, a voiceover played of Barber noting that great players first have to know themselves. Their strengths, their weaknesses, what they fit best in order to maximize their game and become a Hall of Famer.
Barber told the broadcast Tomlin will be in attendance when he’s officially enshrined on Saturday. The ceremony will begin at Noon/EST, a departure from typical evening start times, and the Steelers practice at 1:55 that day. Meaning, it sounds like Tomlin will miss practice to attend the ceremony. Since I’ve been attending since 2013, Tomlin has never missed a camp. That’s proof of the bond those two have and what it means for Barber and for Tomlin to be together as Barber reaches the highest peak anyone in football can reach.
UPDATE (11:20 AM, August 4th)
According to the Pewter Report Twitter account, a site that covers the Buccaneers, Tomlin is in Canton today for Barber’s gold jacket ceremony. They also note he’s “heading out tomorrow” though it’s unclear exactly what that means, if Tomlin is leaving from or to Canton tomorrow. Pittsburgh is holding their Friday Night Lights practice tonight at 7 PM with a 1:55 practice tomorrow.
