Many football fans are curious about the family ties of NFL players, especially when they share the same last name. One such case is Marion Barber III and Tiki Barber, two former running backs who played for different teams in the league. Are they related by blood or just by coincidence? Here’s what we know.
Marion Barber III: A Football Legacy
Marion Barber III was a talented and hard-nosed running back who played for the Dallas Cowboys and the Chicago Bears in his seven-year NFL career. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2007 and scored 53 rushing touchdowns in his career. He passed away on June 1, 2022, at the age of 38, under unknown circumstances.
Marion came from a long line of football stars. His father, Marion Barber Jr., was also a running back who played for the New York Jets in the 1980s. His younger brother, Dominique Barber, was a safety who played for the Houston Texans. His cousin, Peyton Barber, is a current running back for the Washington Football Team. His other brother, Thomas Barber, was a linebacker for the Minnesota Golden Gophers, the same college team that Marion played for.
Marion was a standout player at Wayzata High School in Minnesota, where he excelled in football, baseball, and track. He then attended the University of Minnesota, where he teamed up with Laurence Maroney to form one of the best running back duos in college football history. He was drafted by the Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft and became a fan favorite for his physical and relentless running style.
Tiki Barber: A Twin Star
Tiki Barber was a prolific and versatile running back who played for the New York Giants for his entire 10-year NFL career. He was a three-time Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro. He holds the Giants’ franchise records for most rushing yards (10,449), most rushing touchdowns (55), and most receptions (586). He retired after the 2006 season, just one year before the Giants won the Super Bowl.
Tiki has an identical twin brother, Ronde Barber, who was a cornerback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for 16 seasons. Ronde was a five-time Pro Bowler and a three-time All-Pro. He won the Super Bowl with the Buccaneers in 2002. The Barber twins are the only siblings in NFL history to each have at least 10,000 yards from scrimmage in their careers.
Tiki was a star player at Cave Spring High School in Virginia, where he played football, basketball, and track. He then attended the University of Virginia, where he set several school records as a running back and a kick returner. He was drafted by the Giants in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft and became one of the most productive and durable players in the league.
The Verdict: No Relation
Despite sharing the same last name and playing the same position, Marion Barber III and Tiki Barber are not related to each other. They have different backgrounds, different families, and different careers. They never played against each other or on the same team in the NFL. They are simply two great players who happened to have a common surname.
According to Wikipedia and Distractify, there is no evidence that Marion and Tiki are related by blood or by marriage. They may have some distant ancestors who share a common origin, but that is not enough to establish a familial connection. They are both part of the NFL family, but not of each other’s family tree.
