Ronde Barber stood on the stage at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton on Saturday, about to be inducted alongside the greatest to ever play. As he looked out among the assembled fans, including his family and more than 400 invited guests, Barber’s thoughts wandered back to a less glorious time in his fabled career.
“I stand here amongst these legends of the game remembering a time when I never imagined to be a pro football hall of famer my rookie year, my second year in the league,” Barber said. “I was literally just hoping (coach) Rich McKay wasn’t going to cut me.”