Atiim Kiambu "Tiki" Barber
(; born April 7, 1975) is an American former
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
running back
A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offen ...
who played for the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
of the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL) for ten seasons. He played
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
for the
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United S ...
. Barber was drafted by the Giants in the second round of the
1997 NFL Draft
The 1997 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 19–20, 1997, at the Paramount T ...
, and played his entire professional career for the team. Barber retired from the NFL at the end of the 2006 NFL postseason as the Giants' all-time rushing and reception leader. Barber was inducted into the
Virginia Sports Hall of Fame The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame honors athletes, coaches, administrators, journalists and other contributors to athletics. Many of the more than 350 inductees since 1972 were born in Virginia or enjoyed success in college, professional, amateur or ...
in 2011.
Following his playing career, Barber became a national media presence, notably joining
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
's ''
The Today Show
''Today'' (also called ''The Today Show'' or informally, ''NBC News Today'') is an American news and talk morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It was ...
'' as a correspondent in 2007 and ''
Football Night in America
''Football Night in America'' (''FNIA''), branded for sponsorship purposes as ''Football Night in America served by Applebee's'', is an American pre-game show that is broadcast on NBC, preceding its broadcasts of Sunday night and postseason Nation ...
/
Sunday Night Football''.
[Associated Press]
Barber to appear on 'Today,' NBC football
''ESPN.com'', February 12, 2007. He has published multiple books.
He is the
identical twin
Twins are two offspring produced by the same pregnancy.MedicineNet > Definition of TwinLast Editorial Review: 19 June 2000 Twins can be either ''monozygotic'' ('identical'), meaning that they develop from one zygote, which splits and forms two em ...
brother of former
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South divisio ...
cornerback
A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such offensive running plays as sweeps and reverses. They create tur ...
and safety
Ronde Barber
Jamael Orondé "Rondé" Barber (born April 7, 1975) is an American former football cornerback who spent his entire 16-year professional career playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He is the identical twin ...
.
College career
Barber attended the University of Virginia on an academic scholarship to major in commerce. While he maintained his focus on his studies, Barber also became an accomplished college athlete; he broke the University of Virginia's long jump record on his first jump, and put the University of Virginia's football program back on the map.
Barber rushed for almost 1,400 yards in his junior season, helping lead the
Cavaliers
The term Cavalier () was first used by Roundheads as a term of abuse for the wealthier royalist supporters of King Charles I and his son Charles II of England during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration (1642 – ). It ...
to a share of the ACC title.
During his senior year, he rushed for over 1,300 yards and was named
ACC Player of the Year.
Barber finished his college career with 651 carries for 3,389 yards and 31 touchdowns, and 64 receptions for 602 yards with two touchdowns.
During Barber’s time at UVa, he was a member of the
IMP Society
The IMP Society is a secret society at the University of Virginia that is notable for combining philanthropy and public mischief.
It was founded in 1902 as a society called the Hot Feet. The society was known primarily for its public ceremonies ...
, one of the University’s secret societies.
Professional career
Originally he was considered a third-down, "change of pace" back, but Barber became a standout starting running back and the all-time leader in rushing yards in
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
history. In 2005, he was the NFL's top yardage gainer from the line of scrimmage. Barber was voted by his peers to three
Pro Bowls
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players.
The format has changed thro ...
. From 2003 to 2006, Barber gained the most yards from scrimmage by any NFL running back in that four-year period.
1997–1999
Barber was selected by the New York Giants in the second round of the
1997 NFL Draft
The 1997 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 19–20, 1997, at the Paramount T ...
, out of the
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United S ...
. He was originally intended to be a third-down running back until
Rodney Hampton
Rodney Craig Hampton (born April 3, 1969) is an American former professional football player who was a running back for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Giants in the first round of the 1990 NFL D ...
had disappointing years in 1996 and 1997. Hampton retired after the 1997 season, giving Barber the starting nod. He began his career with a mediocre rookie campaign, in which he started at running back and rushed for 511 yards and three touchdowns. Barber missed four games with a knee injury, but returned to the starting lineup for the final two games of the year. In 1998, he was replaced as a starter and went through a disappointing, injury-riddled year before rebounding in 1999, when he accumulated 1,639 all-purpose yards, utilizing his punt return and receiving skills.
2000–2004
Barber and the Giants represented the NFC in
Super Bowl XXXV
Super Bowl XXXV was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Baltimore Ravens and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for ...
in 2001, but lost the game to the
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...
. Established as a starter and playmaker, Barber was rewarded with a six-year contract from the Giants following the 2000 season. Following the signing, he called himself "the happiest man in New York right now."
Over the next four years, Barber would become an integral part of the Giants' offense. In the last regular season game of 2002, Tiki exploded for 203 yards against the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
, at that time one of the league's best defenses. His performance helped the Giants clinch a playoff berth, but the team fell to the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
in the wild-card round. He ended the season with 1,984 yards from scrimmage.
The
2003 NFL season
The 2003 NFL season was the 84th regular season of the National Football League (NFL).
Regular-season play was held from September 4, 2003, to December 28, 2003. Due to damage caused by the Cedar Fire, Qualcomm Stadium was used as an emergenc ...
saw the Giants finish 4–12.
During the
2004 NFL season
The 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League.
With New England as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005. Hurricanes forced the rescheduling o ...
, Barber reached the end zone for a career-high 15 touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,518 yards and notched 578 receiving yards for 2,096 total yards from scrimmage. On January 2, 2005, in the 2004 season finale, at home versus the Dallas Cowboys, Barber broke
Rodney Hampton
Rodney Craig Hampton (born April 3, 1969) is an American former professional football player who was a running back for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Giants in the first round of the 1990 NFL D ...
's Giants' all-time rushing record and
Joe Morris's single-season rushing record in the same game. Poignantly, Barber broke the record on the final offensive play of the game, when he scored a game-winning touchdown to end an otherwise dismal 6–10 season for the Giants on a high note.
2005 season
The 2005 season was a rebound year for the Giants and for Barber's career year in terms of rushing yards. Led by
Eli Manning
Elisha Nelson Manning (born January 3, 1981) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons with the New York Giants. A member of the Manning football dynasty, he is the youngest son o ...
and Barber, they finished 11-5 and won the NFC East title for the first time since 2000. On December 17, 2005, Barber broke the Giants' single-game rushing record against the
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The tea ...
, rushing for 220 yards; he would break his own record the following year. It was his second (of three) 200-yard rushing games during the 2005 season, as he ran for 206 yards in week 8. The Giants promptly shut out the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
36-0 two days after
Wellington Mara
Wellington Timothy Mara (August 14, 1916 – October 25, 2005) was the co-owner of the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL) from 1959 until his death. He was the younger son of Tim Mara, who founded the Giants in 1925. Wellingto ...
was buried, proper homage to their beloved owner, to whom Tiki himself was especially close.
He finished the 2005 regular season with 1,860 rushing yards (second in the league to
Shaun Alexander
Shaun Edward Alexander (born August 30, 1977) is an American former professional football player who was a running back for the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the ...
and a career-high for Barber) and 2,390 all-purpose yards with a performance of 203 rushing yards against the
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raide ...
in the final game of the season. Barber's 95-yard touchdown run set a Giants' team record for longest touchdown run, previously held by
Hap Moran
Francis Dale "Hap" Moran (July 31, 1901 – December 30, 1994) was a collegiate and professional American football player. He played mainly at halfback for Carnegie Tech (1922), Grinnell College (1923–1925), the Frankford Yellow Jackets (1926) ...
for a 91-yard run on November 23, 1930, vs the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
.
His 960 yards from scrimmage in December 2005 was an NFL record until it was broken by
Chris Johnson, who had 968 from scrimmage in November 2009.
The Giants were shut out 23–0 to the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. T ...
in the wild-card round of the playoffs.
Barber's 2,390 total yards for 2005 was second highest in NFL history, at the time, behind
Marshall Faulk
Marshall William Faulk (born February 26, 1973) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and St. Louis Rams. He is widely regarded as one of the grea ...
's 2,429 total yards in 1999. It is also the highest total for a running back 30 years of age or older. He was named to the NFC Pro Bowl squad for the second time in his career, and was voted an All Pro. Barber placed fourth in the voting for the 2005
MVP
In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
award.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...
running back
Shaun Alexander
Shaun Edward Alexander (born August 30, 1977) is an American former professional football player who was a running back for the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the ...
won the Award, followed by
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with th ...
(second place) and
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots organization, with which ...
(third place).
He was nominated for the 2005
FedEx
FedEx Corporation, formerly Federal Express Corporation and later FDX Corporation, is an American multinational conglomerate holding company focused on transportation, e-commerce and business services based in Memphis, Tennessee. The name "Fe ...
Ground Player of the Year Award, along with
LaDainian Tomlinson
LaDainian Tarshane Tomlinson (born June 23, 1979) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. After a successful college career with the TCU Horned Frogs, the San Diego Chargers se ...
and
Shaun Alexander
Shaun Edward Alexander (born August 30, 1977) is an American former professional football player who was a running back for the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the ...
. Barber also signed a contract extension in September 2005 which extended his contract through 2008 and increased his pay.
2006 season
In the 2006 season, Barber continued his fine play in his final season and final games as an NFL player, a rarity for running backs who often break down late in their careers. His total yardage on the season was higher than any other running back in history in their last season.
Barber rushed for 1,662 yards and five touchdowns in his 2006 campaign. During week 14 at Carolina, Barber rushed for 112 yards to help the Giants end a four-game losing skid. Tiki's best game in 2006 was in Week 17 at Washington, where he rushed for 234 yards and 3 touchdowns in the Giants 34–28 victory against the Redskins, a win that gave the Giants a playoff berth. In that game, Tiki set a new team record for rushing yards in a single game by breaking his own record, which he had set the previous year versus Kansas City. His 234 rushing yards are the most ever by a player over 30 years old. He also holds the record for most 200-yard rushing games by a player over 30 years old with four. Only three other players have one.
In his final game with the Giants, a playoff loss to the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
, Barber rushed for 137 yards on 26 carries. After the game, Eagles safety
Brian Dawkins
Brian Patrick Dawkins Sr. (born October 13, 1973) is an American former football safety who played 16 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football at Clemson and was drafted b ...
embraced Barber and told him, "You're a warrior."
As a Pro Bowler in his final season, Barber's last official game was the
2007 Pro Bowl
The 2007 Pro Bowl was the National Football League's all-star game for the 2006 season. The game took place on February 10, 2007, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The game was held on a Saturday instead of the usual Sunday after the Super B ...
on February 10, 2007, in Hawaii.
NFL retirement
In October 2006, Barber revealed his intention to retire at the end of the 2006 NFL season. Barber had previously indicated his desire to retire at some point and pursue a broadcasting career. When questioned why a player at the peak of his game would retire, Barber cited the toll the physical nature of football takes on a person's body and that he "simply couldn’t take it anymore". Tiki was highly criticized for his decision to retire at his prime. He declined a reported $50 million, two-year contract with the New York Giants.
During his career with the Giants, the team never won a championship, a top goal of Barber's that he spoke publicly about in 2005. When announcing his retirement, Barber seemed at peace to leave the game without a Super Bowl ring. He said, "I used to think my career was defined by not winning a Super Bowl. But I think looking back on my career, they'll see someone who was a competitor, someone who always played hard and never gave up." He officially filed his retirement papers with the
Players Association
The Players Association was a New York based studio group, put together by drummer/arranger Chris Hills and producer Danny Weiss in 1977 on Vanguard Records.
Overview
The Players Association recordings brought in leading jazz session musician ...
on February 12, 2007.
In the very next
NFL season
The National Football League (NFL) regular season begins on the weekend following the first Monday of September (i.e, the weekend following the Labor Day holiday) and ends in early January, after which that season's playoffs tournament begins. I ...
following Barber's retirement, the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
went on to defeat the
previously undefeated 18–0 New England Patriots to win
Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion ...
in one of the greatest upsets in sports history. Barber was present to cover the event, but was not well received by most of his former teammates and Giants' fans, after his disparaging remarks about his former teammate and Giants quarterback,
Eli Manning
Elisha Nelson Manning (born January 3, 1981) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons with the New York Giants. A member of the Manning football dynasty, he is the youngest son o ...
.
Attempted NFL return
On March 8, 2011, Barber filed paperwork to come out of retirement.
[Tiki Barber Unretires](_blank)
''Sports Illustrated''. Retrieved March 8, 2011. Although the New York Giants still retained the rights to Barber, the Giants planned to release him once the NFL and the
NFLPA
The National Football League Players Association, or NFLPA, is a labor union representing National Football League (NFL) players. The NFLPA, which has headquarters in Washington, D.C., is led by president J. C. Tretter and executive director DeM ...
reached a collective bargaining agreement.
On April 28, 2011, Barber said that his comeback was "not about the money;" however, the ''
New York Post
The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is a conservative daily tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates NYPost.com, the celebrity gossip site PageSix.com, and the entertainment site Decider.com.
It was established ...
'' ran a contradictory news story in 2010, reporting that Barber was seeking to return to the NFL because he was not financially solvent. The story said that he was unable to pay his divorce settlement with his ex-wife.
On July 28, 2011, the Giants officially removed Barber from the retired list, allowing him to sign with any team. On August 2, 2011, Barber began working out with the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...
.
On September 5, 2011, Barber's agent, Mark Lepselter, confirmed that no
NFL team was interested in signing him.
NFL career statistics
Giants franchise records
, Tiki Barber held at least 22 Giants franchise records, including:
* Most Rush Attempts (career): 2,217
* Most Rush Attempts (season): 357 (2005)
* Most Rush Yards (career): 10,449
* Most Rush Yards (season): 1,860 (2005)
* Most Rush Yards (game): 234 (2006-12-30 @WAS)
* Most Rush Yds/Att (career): 4.71
* Most Rush Yds/Att (playoff season): 5.27 (2006)
* Most Rush Yds/Game (career): 67.9
* Most Rush Yds/Game (season): 116.3 (2005)
* Most Rush Yds/Game (playoff season): 137 (2006)
* Most Yds from Scrimmage (career): 15,632
* Most Yds from Scrimmage (season): 2,390 (2005)
* Most Yds from Scrimmage (game): 258 (2006-12-30 @WAS)
* Most Yds from Scrimmage (playoff career): 671
* Most All Purpose Yds (career): 17,359
* Most All Purpose Yds (season): 2,390 (2005)
* Most All Purpose Yds (game): 258 (2006-12-30 @WAS)
* Most Punt Ret Yds (season): 506 (1999)
* Most 100+ yard rushing games (career): 40
* Most 100+ yard rushing games (season): 9 (2004 and 2006; tied with
Joe Morris)
* Most 100+ yard rushing games (playoffs): 2 (tied with
Ottis Anderson
Ottis Jerome Anderson (born January 19, 1957) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Giants. He played college football at Miami, wh ...
and Joe Morris)
* Most 1000+ rushing yard seasons (career): 6
Player profile
Running style
Starting from his breakout season in 2000, Barber was known for his exceptional cutback running, quick feet, and running vision. He also was an adept receiver out of the backfield with over 450 receiving yards and over 50 receptions every season from 2000 to 2006.
After the 2003 year, in spite of his rushing yard totals, Barber had a tendency to commit fumbles. He committed nine fumbles and six lost fumbles in the 2002 and 2003 seasons, respectively. This also includes three lost fumbles in a game against the Philadelphia Eagles on December 28, 2002. When head coach
Tom Coughlin
Thomas Richard Coughlin ( ; born August 31, 1946) is a former American football coach and executive. He was the head coach for the New York Giants from 2004 to 2015. He led the Giants to victory in Super Bowl XLII and Super Bowl XLVI, both time ...
arrived, he taught Barber to hold the ball vertically instead of horizontally, of which is a common practice in
rugby football
Rugby football is the collective name for the team sports of rugby union and rugby league.
Canadian football and, to a lesser extent, American football were once considered forms of rugby football, but are seldom now referred to as such. The ...
. After adapting to this change, his fumbles went down significantly. In 2004, he only had two lost fumbles and proceeded to commit only four lost fumbles in his three years with Coughlin.
Barber began to focus on strength training and lifting in 2004 upon the suggestion of his new running backs coach, Jerald Ingram. Barber began to work with a strength coach, Joe Carini, in New Jersey. His added upper-body strength allowed him to break more tackles and improve as a running-back. Barber improved in other ways over the course of his career. He refined upon his patience during game-play, which is needed in football to wait for blocks to set and formed holes to emerge in the
offensive line
In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line, while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line. A numbe ...
before accelerating forward. Barber also improved upon his physical toughness and blocking ability, as he was not known for being skilled in them earlier in his career. Barber additionally benefited from an improved offensive line and Coughlin's emphasis on the Giants' new strategic running game.
New York Giants franchise records
*Longest Touchdown Run: 95 yards, December 31, 2005, vs. the
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raide ...
*Most Rushing Attempts, Season: 357, 2005 season
*Most Rushing Attempts, Career: 2,217
*Most 100 Yard Games, Season: 9, 2004 season
*Most 200 Yard Games, Season: 3, 2005 season
*Most Rushing Yards, Single Game: 234 yards, December 30, 2006, vs. the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
*Most Rushing Yards, Season: 1,860 yards, 2005 season
*Most Rushing Yards, Career: 10,449 yards
*Most Total Yards, Season: 2,390 yards, 2005 season
*Most 1,000 Yard Seasons: 6
*Yards Per Carry, Career: 4.7
*Most Total Yards, Game: 276 (203 rushing yards, 73 receiving yards), December 28, 2002 vs. the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
*Most Total Yards (Rushing, Receiving, Returns and Fumble Yardage), Career: 17,359
*Most Yards From Scrimmage (Rushing and Receiving), Career: 15,632
*Highest Average 100+ yards from scrimmage per game, Career (min: 150 games): 101.5
*Most Fumble Recoveries, Game: 3, October 29, 2000, vs. the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
Strahan contract controversy
In 2002, All-Pro Giants defensive end
Michael Strahan
Michael T. Strahan ( ; born November 21, 1971) is an American television personality, journalist, and former professional football player. He played his entire 15-year professional career as a defensive end for the New York Giants of the Nation ...
was negotiating a new contract, and Tiki Barber publicly criticized Michael Strahan's negotiating stance. He felt Strahan should have agreed to the contract the Giants offered and remarked that Strahan was greedy. The contract impacted the team as Strahan's cap number exceeded $12 million and the new contract would have lowered Strahan's cap number, greatly helping the team get under the 2002 Salary Cap. "I don't know if he realizes how much $17 million is," Barber told the NY Post. "That is absolutely ridiculous, to turn that down. He's already the highest-paid defensive player in the league. He's already making more than most quarterbacks...Michael is not thinking about the team; he's thinking about himself".
Keith Hamilton, a teammate of Strahan and Barber at the time, then responded with comments critical of Barber. Players generally believe that they should not speak about the contracts of other players. Beyond that, some members of the Giants defense harbored resentment of the offense, which was lackluster and unproductive in the 1990s. "The defense has carried the offense, carried the team, since I've been here," Hamilton told The Star-Ledger. "
arber/nowiki> hasn't been here long enough or done enough to say anything. For him to shoot his mouth off, acting like he's Mr. New York, yeah, I'm ticked off. Strahan is the single-season sack record-holder. He's the AP Defensive Player of the Year. He's one of the best - if not the best - defensive ends in the game. And you tell me this guy is being greedy? That's a bunch of crap. I've heard enough. Who is Tiki Barber to shoot his mouth off? What has he done? He talks like he's acting in the best interest of the team. Tell him to give his $7 million (signing bonus) back. Since he's so charitable, why doesn't he volunteer his $7 million? He says all the politically correct things. Ask him if he's giving up some of his money." Despite this incident, Strahan and Barber are currently friendly with each other in public.[
]
Coaching criticism
Although Barber's statistics improved greatly after Tom Coughlin
Thomas Richard Coughlin ( ; born August 31, 1946) is a former American football coach and executive. He was the head coach for the New York Giants from 2004 to 2015. He led the Giants to victory in Super Bowl XLII and Super Bowl XLVI, both time ...
became the Giants' head coach, Barber disliked and criticized Coughlin's coaching style. During the coach's tenure, Barber publicly questioned the team's coaching on two occasions. After being shut out at home in the first round of the 2005 playoffs by the Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. T ...
, Tiki made a post-game comment that he felt the Giants had been outcoached by their former defensive coordinator, the Panthers' head coach John Fox. Heavy sports media attention was placed on the comment; Tiki apologized for it shortly afterwards, saying he only meant to convey the Giants' performance was 'unacceptable.'
After a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team play ...
during the 2006 season, Barber criticized the playcalling for abandoning the running game too soon.[Tiki Barber upset with lack of carries](_blank)
, Associated Press News Service. Retrieved January 11, 2007 Both times Coughlin and Barber met to discuss the comments.
On the eve of what would be his last game with the Giants, Barber told ESPN that he is "demeaned and talked down to" by Coughlin.
After retiring, Barber attributed his decision to retire to Coughlin's unrelenting style in practice. "(Coughlin) pushed me in the direction (of television)," said Barber. "I don't know if you realize this, but we were in full pads for 17 weeks, and with the amount of injuries that we had, it just takes a toll on you. You physically don't want to be out there, when your body feels the way you do, in full pads."
The Giants would then go on to win the Super Bowl, the year following Barber's retirement.
Post-football career
Broadcasting
After retiring from the NFL, Barber began a second career as a television broadcaster. Barber immediately landed a role with NBC in which he contributed to the '' Today (NBC program), Today'' program, covered sports for NBC Sports, and hosted entertainment events for NBC Universal. Barber was introduced as a correspondent for NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
's '' Today (NBC program), Today'' and analyst for ''Football Night in America
''Football Night in America'' (''FNIA''), branded for sponsorship purposes as ''Football Night in America served by Applebee's'', is an American pre-game show that is broadcast on NBC, preceding its broadcasts of Sunday night and postseason Nation ...
/ Sunday Night Football'' on February 13, 2007. This came after a competition for his services was waged between ABC, FOX, NFL, and NBC. As a ''Today'' correspondent, Barber anchored lifestyle segments and reports on news stories.
Barber is unusual among retired athletes in his desire to cover hard news and political stories; in 2006 Barber cited a lunch with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice ( ; born November 14, 1954) is an American diplomat and political scientist who is the current director of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. A member of the Republican Party, she previously served as the 66th Uni ...
as the highlight of his year.
While still an NFL player, Barber gained broadcasting experience. On television, he co-hosted the morning news program ''Fox & Friends
''Fox & Friends'' is an American daily morning news and talk program that airs on Fox News. It premiered on February 1, 1998, and is currently hosted by Steve Doocy, Ainsley Earhardt and Brian Kilmeade on weekdays. Will Cain, Rachel Campos-Du ...
'' on select Tuesday mornings. On radio, he hosted ''Barber Shop'' a weekly show on Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio was a satellite radio (SDARS) and online radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Holdings.
Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Tennessee, Memphis, Sirius ...
with his brother Ronde during the football season. In the offseason, he hosted a political and general interest radio program; Senator John McCain
John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two terms ...
was his first interview. Barber originally began his broadcasting career on WFAN radio and the WCBS local news in New York.
In May 2008, Barber filled the spot of Willie Geist
William Russell Geist (born May 3, 1975) is an American television personality and journalist. He is co-anchor of MSNBC's ''Morning Joe'' and anchor of ''Sunday Today with Willie Geist''. Geist also frequently serves as a fill-in anchor on bot ...
on the MSNBC program ''Morning Joe
''Morning Joe'' is an American morning news and liberal talk show, airing weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time Zone, Eastern Time on the cable news channel MSNBC. It features former Republican Congressman Joe Scarborough r ...
'' while Geist was on vacation.
In August 2008, Barber helped broadcast the 2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes from 204 Na ...
on MSNBC and was a commentator for Yahoo!
Yahoo! (, styled yahoo''!'' in its logo) is an American web services provider. It is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California and operated by the namesake company Yahoo Inc., which is 90% owned by investment funds managed by Apollo Global Man ...
sports for the 2010 Winter Olympics
)''
, nations = 82
, athletes = 2,626
, events = 86 in 7 sports (15 disciplines)
, opening = February 12, 2010
, closing = February 28, 2010
, opened_by = Governor General Michaëlle Jean
, cauldron = Catriona Le May DoanNancy GreeneWayne Gretz ...
.
On Wednesday, June 23, 2010, the ''New York Post
The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is a conservative daily tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates NYPost.com, the celebrity gossip site PageSix.com, and the entertainment site Decider.com.
It was established ...
'' reported that NBC has dropped him from his contributor's role on NBC's ''The Today Show''. Barber was quietly let go in May 2010 by the network after his contract was not renewed by NBC earlier that year.
Barber appeared as a studio pundit
A pundit is a person who offers mass media opinion or commentary on a particular subject area (most typically politics, the social sciences, technology or sport).
Origins
The term originates from the Sanskrit term ('' '' ), meaning "knowledg ...
on the BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
with Brandon Tierney, on weekday afternoons airing 10-2pm (EST). The pair previously hosted a national show on
.
''. The challenge was to design Barber a dress shirt to wear on the ''Today Show''.
Barber appeared with his family on NBC's show ''
'' which premiered on June 24, 2008.
Barber appeared as the guest in the "Not My Job" section of the NPR news quiz show ''
'' in November 2008. He answered three questions about
on the occasion of Mickey's 80th birthday.
Barber was the 'mobile shout out' on an episode of the
''. The question was "What is the name of the famous
?". Both Barber and the contestant incorrectly answered with ''
'', Barber played a drill sergeant who was murdered during an underground MMA fight in the episode "Fight Knight". His character was filmed dressing down an unseen private and used by KITT to distract the owner of the illegal club long enough to allow for capture by Michael. He was also spoofed by KITT at the end of the episode.
Barber appears in multiple episodes as himself in the 2009 iteration of ''
''. His "character" is adored by women and adolescents alike and is portrayed as a very likable and forthright role model. One episode even puts him in the role of a judge, trying a case of pet negligence towards his bird.
In the
," Barber was featured as one of the people being hugged.
In 2014, Barber appeared as himself in ''
episode "It Was the Change" which was the 12th episode of the season.
Barber co-hosted season 2 of ''
''.
'' January 21, 2019, and played a limited run until March 3. Barber said in a statement, "I was very fortunate to be part of the New York Giants for ten years and feel incredibly lucky to be joining another New York institution: Broadway."
Barber is pursuing business and investment opportunities, reportedly inking a contract to serve as a partner and investor in O Beverages LLC, the maker of fruit-infused bottled water as well as opening a high-tech cycling gym in NYC.
Barber is co-chairman and co-founder of
, which provides an online marketplace for athletes to be booked for local speaking appearances, coaching, and personal events.
In 2018 Barber co-founded Grove Group Management, a
-focused investment firm that provides various forms of expertise (finance, marketing, operations, retail, legal issues, and product development) to the businesses it invests in. The company aims to work with small and minority-owned cannabis businesses in particular.
.
. He was named Atiim Kiambu, which means "fiery-tempered king" because he was screaming shortly after his birth.
.
Barber is the son of Geraldine Barber and Daniel X. Brack "DXB". Barber was a star
at University of Virginia and later played in the National Football League.
Barber's parents divorced when Barber was very young, and his father never provided financial support and rarely saw his sons when they were growing up.
His mother Geraldine worked two sometimes three jobs to support her three sons. He has an older brother, Tarik Barber.
Barber married his University of Virginia sweetheart Virginia Cha Barber on May 15, 1999, and the couple resided on the
New York City with Cha's parents living in an suite. Cha—of Korean and Vietnamese descent—was a fashion publicist for Zegna, a men's designer-clothing label. They have two sons, A.J. (Atiim Kiambu Junior), born July 8, 2002, and Chason, born March 18, 2004; and twin daughters Riley and Ella, born May 24, 2010.
On April 5, 2010, while Cha was seven months pregnant with their twin daughters, it was announced that Barber and his wife were separating after 11 years of marriage.
It later became public that Barber had been cheating on Cha with 23-year-old Traci Lynn Johnson, whom he met while she was an NBC intern and he worked on the
. Johnson had babysat his and Barber's sons.
In the May 30, 2011 issue of ''Sports Illustrated'', Barber described hiding out with Johnson in his agent Mark Lepselter's attic so that he would not get caught. Barber was quoted as saying that "Lep's Jewish, and it was like a reverse
thing." Barber's comments were quickly condemned by ''New York Post'' sports columnist
.
Just eight days after his divorce from Cha was final, on July 20, 2012, Barber and Johnson married in a simple civil ceremony in a New York courtroom. Johnson gave birth to their daughter Brooklyn on December 27, 2013. In July 2016 their second daughter, and Tiki's sixth child, Teagan, was born.
In 2014, Barber supported
. He achieved a 5:14:37 running time.
On September 18, 2007, Barber's book, ''Tiki: My Life and the Game Beyond'' was published. The autobiography was co-written by
. His second book, ''Tiki Barber's Pure Hard Workout'', which was released on November 13, 2008, by
, reveals Barber's intensive lifting program. The book is coauthored by his trainer, Joe Carini.
Barber has authored nine illustrated children's books with his brother Ronde.
*''By My Brother's Side'' (2004)
*''Game Day'' (2005)
*''Teammates'' (2006)
*''Kickoff!'' (2007)
*''Go Long!'' (2008)
*''Wild Card'' (2009)
*''Red Zone'' (2010)
*''Goal Line'' (2011)
*''End Zone'' (2012)