Hardy Nickerson Makes His Case For The Ring Of Honor
June 10th, 2026
First, Hardy Nickerson didn’t want to go there.
Talking to Peter Blake on The Sports Web, the former Bucs All-Pro middle linebacker (two times!) was going to leave his case for the Buccaneers Ring of Honor to others. Nickerson was going the humble route.
And then Blake got him to chime in a little.
It seems Nickerson believes his five-time Pro Bowl, seven-year Bucs career, is worthy. There’s no question that Nickerson was a major catalyst in taking the Bucs defense in the 1990s from weak to legitimately legendary.
“Well, I mean, you know, I think everything speaks for itself. I came in here and became a five-time Pro Bowler, All-Pro player,” Nickerson said. “I put in the work. I was team MVP a number of times. You know, I put in the work.”
Joe heartily would endorse Nickerson landing in the Ring of Honor. If you didn’t see him play, well, he was tough as nails and damn, that guy could tackle. And just about every legend from that era of Bucs football credits Nickerson with setting the defensive tone and leading the way.
June 10th, 2026 at 6:41 pm
Top 3 all time Bucs LB! D brooks, LD, and then Hardy is where I would rank them.
June 10th, 2026 at 6:43 pm
He laid the foundation
June 10th, 2026 at 6:44 pm
He was the foundation.
June 10th, 2026 at 6:53 pm
Glazers have got to make this happen sooner rather than later. Bring all the OGs back to sing his praises as well while we’re at it.
June 10th, 2026 at 6:54 pm
100% ROH..crazy he’s not already in. His importance to changing a losing culture has been severely overlooked. The guy was a tone setter, the ultimate leader and was thr guy who came here and said “no more Yucs”.
June 10th, 2026 at 6:58 pm
Was my favorite player until a real life interaction spoiled it.
Met Sapp too once, which was even worse.
Oh well. That’s real life sometimes
June 10th, 2026 at 6:59 pm
The rock of this team for so many years. He continued a defensive tradition that is the identity of this franchise. Crazy it’s even a conversation
June 10th, 2026 at 7:00 pm
Why are we still 5alking about this?!! Nickerson and Wilder are long overdue! Come on Glazers, get your head out of your…..
June 10th, 2026 at 7:05 pm
@Clearinghouse, I’m sorry you had those experiences, but this ring ain’t a boyscout camping circle. Their football achievements render them eligible for the honor, regardless of personality
June 10th, 2026 at 7:52 pm
I’m shocked he’s not already in.
They need to do it this year.
June 10th, 2026 at 8:13 pm
He skipped out and then the Bucs won a superbowl 2 years later his loss. He should have stayed
June 10th, 2026 at 8:14 pm
Hardy was a one man wrecking crew. Crazy how he’s not mentioned more often – he set the tone for that seismic shift in the mid 90’s.
June 10th, 2026 at 8:48 pm
Getting to the Hall of Fame requires not only the talent but a degree of luck. Bias from the Hall of Fame electorate is a big hurdle to overcome. There are many qualified players who didn’t get the node from Hall of Fame electorate. Only the elite of the best qualify
June 10th, 2026 at 9:01 pm
James Wilder, Tony Mayberry, then Hardware.
June 10th, 2026 at 9:26 pm
Hardy and Quarles are in that second tier
June 10th, 2026 at 9:35 pm
Kalind Says:
June 10th, 2026 at 9:26 pm
Hardy and Quarles are in that second tier
———
You’re an idiot.
Hardy is the entire reason the Bucs had that late 90s / early 00s run – he should have been in very early in the process. Hardy was the entire reason the Bucs turned this around – he was the first piece of the puzzle, the building block for everything that came after.
And also Quarles, with as good as he was, is not in Hardy’s class. To even group them together … wow, clueless.
June 10th, 2026 at 9:36 pm
Cleanhouse Says:
June 10th, 2026 at 6:58 pm
Was my favorite player until a real life interaction spoiled it.
Met Sapp too once, which was even worse.
Oh well. That’s real life sometimes
——–
So you meet multiple guys and they were all mean to you…
You ever think maybe you’re the problem?
Of course not – it’s always someone else, right?
June 10th, 2026 at 9:49 pm
Couldn’t believe the Steelers let him go…but happy that he landed here. Awesome player, awesome leader.
June 10th, 2026 at 9:58 pm
Hardware was THE FOUNDATION STONE upon which every other layer of that defense was able to be built upon. GET IT DONE GLAZERS!!!!!
June 10th, 2026 at 10:00 pm
Better than LVD and he’s the original culture changer.
June 10th, 2026 at 10:14 pm
Glass houses
June 10th, 2026 at 10:16 pm
A crazy 214 tackles in 1993! Wow!