Simeon Rice had a strong 12-year NFL career after the Arizona Cardinals took him third overall in the 1996 NFL Draft. He spent the first five years of his career with the franchise, winning the 1996 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award and earning Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors in 1999.
He joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ahead of the 2001 season, helping the team win Super Bowl 37 — their first title in franchise history. Rice added two more Pro Bowl nods while earning one first-team All-Pro and one second-team All-Pro selection. The pass rusher spent his final season split between the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts. Take a look at more about the three-time Pro Bowler below.
Simeon Rice to Announce Buccaneers’ Pick at NFL Draft as Hall of Fame Case Remains in Spotlight
Rice will announce a pick for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The former star pass rusher retired with 483 total tackles, 403 solo tackles, 93 tackles for loss, 122.0 sacks, five interceptions, 28 forced fumbles, eight fumble recoveries, and 43 passes defended in 174 games played.
Rice played his college football for the Illinois Fighting Illini, where he was one of the most decorated players in school history. He was named Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Year in 1992 and earned second-team All-Big Ten honors. He followed that with three straight first-team All-Big Ten selections, capped by being named Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year in 1994.
He also earned first-team All-American honors in both 1994 and 1995 and took home the Jack Lambert Trophy as the nation’s top linebacker in his final season. Off the field, Rice has pursued a variety of creative ventures. Now 51 years old, he founded a record label called Lucid Dream Entertainment and entered the film industry. He directed his first short film, When I Was King, in 2011, followed by the feature-length thriller Unsullied in 2014.
Despite his impact on the field, Rice has not gained serious traction in Pro Football Hall of Fame voting. His 122.0 career sacks ranked 12th all-time when he retired and still place him in the top 25, but he’s never been named a finalist for induction. Rice has been a frequent early ballot candidate but hasn’t been a semifinalist since 2020.
Still, with a résumé that includes a Super Bowl ring, multiple All-Pro honors, and a strong sack total, Rice remains a name to watch if the Hall of Fame selection landscape shifts in the coming years.