Throughout his 12-year NFL career, former star defensive end Simeon Rice was one of most productive players at his position in the league. Rice experienced the peak of his playing days with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he helped the franchise reach the mountaintop of success winning the Super Bowl.

Looking back at his career, Rice has voiced that he believes that he was a “transcendent” player for Tampa Bay that he thinks he was the centerpiece to their defense, according to Andrew Lawrence of The Athletic.

As for Rice’s own playing legacy? Hey, no sense trying to change that narrative when there are better stories to tell. “I’m good with what I did,” Rice says. “I was the best in the world at what I did. I know I was transcendent. I know defenses were built around me. I know I affected players around me. I know I was able to call my shot. Whether I get elected to the Hall of Fame, don’t get elected . . . that ain’t on me anymore.”

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The production that Rice had during that stretch of his career with the Bucs where he spent six seasons, he recorded 69.5 of his 122.0 career sacks while surpassing double-digit totals in all but his final campaign with the team. This helped him earn the reputation as being one of the top defensive ends in that span with a pair of his Pro Bowl selections and All-Pro nods coming while with the Buccaneers.

Tampa Bay had a stacked defense that featured several other Pro Bowlers in defensive tackle Warren Sapp, linebacker Derrick Brooks, cornerback Ronde Barber, and safety John Lynch. This has propelled them to possess one of the top defenses in the league that helped guide them to a Super Bowl in their first year under Jon Gruden. Although this was only trip to the Super Bowl during that stretch, Rice was undoubtedly one of the anchors on that side of the ball.

It may be awhile before Rice gets some serious consideration into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but he was certainly a significant part of transforming the Bucs into a Super Bowl-winning team while performing as one of the best in the league at his position.