Super Bowl-winning head coach Bruce Arians was the most recent inductee in the Bucs Ring of Honor. Tampa Bay has a couple of future Ring of Honor players on the current roster in Bucs legends Mike Evans and Lavonte David. Yet, there is another former Bucs star who could be in the mix at some point – former defensive tackle Gerald McCoy.

Quarterback Tom Brady, who retired this offseason after a three-year career in red and pewter, figures to be the team’s next Ring of Honor inductee after helping the Bucs win Super Bowl LV and back-to-back division titles. The Glazers would love to have the prestige of having Brady’s name on the walls of Raymond James Stadium.

Former Bucs DT Gerald McCoy – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

McCoy, Tampa Bay’s first-round pick in 2010, also figures to retire this year after turning 35 in February. He spent the last year out of football after serious leg injuries quickly ended his seasons in Dallas (2020) and Las Vegas (2021). A couple of McCoy’s former teammates, David and Will Gholston, would love to see him retire as a Buccaneer after spending nine seasons in Tampa Bay.

“That would be amazing,” David said. “For me personally, and especially for him, for as long as he played with the Bucs it would be a dream come true. He grew up as a Bucs fan, so it would definitely be a dream come true for him. Gerald still being around here and supporting us definitely means a lot. He came to the [Wild Card playoff] game and was honored as a Buc, and that was incredible.”

“A couple of us guys – me and Will – Gerald took us under his wing. I have a ton of respect for Gerald as a player and as a man. He definitely is a guy who I root for and is rooting for us.”

Gholston agrees with David that McCoy should sign a one-day contract and retire as a Buccaneer.

“I think at the end of the day, that’s something Gerald would want to do,” Gholston said. “He had a fantastic career here. To have him officially retire as a Buc, I feel like the whole Bucs nation would want that.

“He’s always been a student of the game,” Gholston said. “I wasn’t and I’ve never been until I got here. He helped me. He studied the game and was a true professional. Gerald was also great in the community.”

Lavonte David Wants Gerald McCoy In Bucs Ring Of Honor

Bucs LB Lavonte David and former Bucs DT Gerald McCoy – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Gerald McCoy was released in 2018 in a salary cap move and because injuries were beginning to take their toll on the six-time Pro Bowler. In 2019, Bucs general manager Jason Licht replaced McCoy with Ndamukong Suh, who didn’t miss a game in three years in Tampa Bay and helped the team win Super Bowl LV in 2020.

While McCoy didn’t get the chance to play on a playoff team during his career in Tampa Bay, he did earn several individual honors. McCoy finished his Bucs career with 54.5 sacks, which ranks fourth all-time in Tampa Bay behind Lee Roy Selmon (78.5) Warren Sapp (77) and Simeon Rice (69.5).

But with every Bucs Ring of Honor inductee having played or coached on at least one playoff team, is that enough to qualify McCoy for induction? While that may be up for debate within the Bucs fan base and the organization, David believes McCoy deserves to be in the Bucs Ring of Honor.

“Six Pro Bowls and three All-Pros and he was a fixture in the community,” David said. “He’s definitely somebody the Bucs should consider for the Ring of Honor. I feel like he’s deserved it, but it’s definitely something that should be discussed. I hope he gets in.”

Yet, not everyone agrees with McCoy being in consideration for the Bucs Ring of Honor.

Sapp, a Pro Football Hall of Famer and Bucs Ring of Honor member, doesn’t think McCoy qualifies as a Bucs legend.

“He was a damn good player – damn good player – [but] not even close,” Sapp told Pewter Report in 2019. “You damn sure don’t get legendary status or tell somebody to put your jersey up if you didn’t take them to any playoff games. I still remember when that bitch (Raymond James Stadium) was rocking when San Francisco came here and all them flags were waving. That was my last home playoff game. You could run that thing back any day of the week and I’ll keep watching that thing. Not one playoff game, not even a wild card [with McCoy]. I went to nine [playoff games]. We went 5-4.”