# Tiki Barber
**Tiki Barber** (born 1975) is an American former professional football player who spent his entire ten-season career, from 1997 to 2006, as a running back with the [New York Giants](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-york-giants) of the [National Football League](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-football-league), and who left the game as the franchise's all-time leading rusher with 10,449 yards.[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BarbTi00.htm) • [2](https://www.nfl.com/players/tiki-barber/stats/) After retiring he worked in broadcasting, contributing to NBC's "Today" show and "Football Night in America," and he has remained a prominent figure in Hall of Fame discussions.[3](https://njhalloffame.org/2023-inductees/2023-tiki-barber/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1975, Roanoke, Virginia; 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm), 205 pounds (92 kg) playing weight[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BarbTi00.htm) |
| College and draft | University of Virginia; drafted by the New York Giants in the 2nd round (36th overall) of the 1997 NFL Draft[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BarbTi00.htm) |
| Career totals | 154 games, 109 starts, 2,217 rushing attempts, 10,449 rushing yards (4.7 average), 55 rushing touchdowns, 586 receptions for 5,183 yards and 12 touchdowns[2](https://www.nfl.com/players/tiki-barber/stats/) |
| Yards from scrimmage | 15,632, 15th in NFL history and more than 6,000 yards clear of any other player in Giants franchise history[4](https://www.giants.com/news/tiki-barber-semifinalist-pro-football-hall-of-fame-class-of-2024) |
| Peak season | 2005: 357 carries for 1,860 yards (5.2 average) and 9 rushing touchdowns[2](https://www.nfl.com/players/tiki-barber/stats/) |
| Honors | Three Pro Bowls (2004, 2005, 2006); never elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but reached the semifinalist stage for the Class of 2024[5](https://www.giants.com/news/tiki-barber) • [1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BarbTi00.htm) |
| Post-NFL work | Broadcasting at NBC, contributing to the "Today" show and "Football Night in America"; inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2023[3](https://njhalloffame.org/2023-inductees/2023-tiki-barber/) |
## Early life and college
Barber is a native of [Roanoke, Virginia](https://www.edgepedia.org/roanoke-virginia), and a graduate of the [University of Virginia](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-virginia).[6](https://legacylis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?111+ful+HJ694+pdf=) He and his twin brother [Ronde Barber](https://www.edgepedia.org/ronde-barber) came to Virginia from Cave Spring High School in 1993.[7](https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/ROA-Times/issues/1997/rt9701/970104/01060039.htm) Tiki played running back and was named the 1996 Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year.[8](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/01/04/r-barber-to-leave-u-va-for-nfl-draft/6ce090d7-2ba2-4cab-af22-6ae311e51d6e/) In 1995 he led the ACC in all-purpose yardage with 1,906 yards, including 1,397 rushing yards on 216 carries.[9](https://static.virginiasports.com/custompages/sports/m-footbl/factbook/2025/2025_Virginia_Football_Record_Book_web.pdf)
The brothers' college careers ended at different times. Tiki had completed his eligibility after the 1996 season, while Ronde, a defensive back and a first-team all-ACC selection in each of his first three seasons, announced in January 1997 that he would forgo his final season and enter the 1997 [NFL draft](https://www.edgepedia.org/nfl-draft).[7](https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/ROA-Times/issues/1997/rt9701/970104/01060039.htm) • [8](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/01/04/r-barber-to-leave-u-va-for-nfl-draft/6ce090d7-2ba2-4cab-af22-6ae311e51d6e/)
## NFL career
The Giants selected Barber in the second round of the 1997 draft, and he spent all ten professional seasons with the club.[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BarbTi00.htm) His role grew gradually. He started 6 games as a rookie, 4 in 1998, and only 1 in 1999, before becoming a full-time starter from 2003 onward.[2](https://www.nfl.com/players/tiki-barber/stats/) His production followed an unusual trajectory, rising rather than declining with age: he finished his career with five consecutive seasons of at least 1,200 yards rushing, from 2002 through 2006.[10](https://www.espn.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/id/15416/nfc-east-hall-of-fame-debate)
**Peak seasons.** In 2004 he ran for 1,518 yards and 13 touchdowns; in 2005 he set the franchise single-season record with 1,860 rushing yards on 357 carries; and in his final season, 2006, he ran for 1,662 yards.[2](https://www.nfl.com/players/tiki-barber/stats/) In his last five seasons he carried the ball more than all but three NFL running backs and produced more yards from scrimmage than all but [LaDainian Tomlinson](https://www.edgepedia.org/ladainian-tomlinson), with five 200-yard rushing games in that span.[11](https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/what_set_tiki_barber_apart_i_believe_everything_i_did_had_meaning/s1_16688_39648591) His 2004 season produced 2,096 scrimmage yards, a total that placed him among the highest single-season scrimmage-yard marks of the period alongside [Walter Payton](https://www.edgepedia.org/walter-payton), Priest Holmes, and [Barry Sanders](https://www.edgepedia.org/barry-sanders).[12](https://nflmediaarchive.nfl.net/nflmedia/w_releases/2005w%20releases/Press%20Box%20Notes/WEEK%2016.pdf)
**Signature games.** In the 2002 season finale against the rival [Philadelphia Eagles](https://www.edgepedia.org/philadelphia-eagles), Barber recorded 276 yards from scrimmage, a single-game franchise record that stood until [Saquon Barkley](https://www.edgepedia.org/saquon-barkley) surpassed it by three yards nearly 17 years later.[4](https://www.giants.com/news/tiki-barber-semifinalist-pro-football-hall-of-fame-class-of-2024) On December 20, 2006, at Washington, he ran for 234 yards in his final regular-season game, another franchise single-game record.[5](https://www.giants.com/news/tiki-barber) His 95-yard touchdown run at Oakland on December 31, 2005 is the longest run from scrimmage in Giants history.[5](https://www.giants.com/news/tiki-barber)
**Fumbling and its fix.** Ball security was the defining flaw of his early career: he fumbled 53 times over his career, losing 22, with single seasons as high as 9 fumbles in 2000, 2002, and 2003.[2](https://www.nfl.com/players/tiki-barber/stats/) He solved the problem by switching to a different ball-carrying technique, and his fumble totals fell to 1 in each of the 2005 and 2006 seasons.[13](https://www.nfl.com/news/legarrette-blount-adopting-tiki-barber-s-running-style-09000d5d82a04788) • [2](https://www.nfl.com/players/tiki-barber/stats/)
## Playing style
Barber was not a burner. He described himself after retirement as quick and elusive with good vision rather than fast, saying, "I wasn't the athlete like he is" when comparing himself to a younger Giants back.[14](https://www.espn.com/blog/new-york/giants/post/_/id/26445/tiki-wilson-as-dynamic-as-nyg-ever-had) NFL.com's coverage of his attempted comeback similarly noted that he was never regarded as a speed demon in the backfield but routinely broke off big gains with his running style, and one of his former coaches called his football intelligence the key to his success.[15](https://www.nfl.com/news/aging-barber-can-still-provide-a-punch-for-willing-team-09000d5d8206adb2)
He was also a genuine receiving threat out of the backfield, with 586 career receptions, a total that ranks second in Giants franchise history.[2](https://www.nfl.com/players/tiki-barber/stats/) • [14](https://www.espn.com/blog/new-york/giants/post/_/id/26445/tiki-wilson-as-dynamic-as-nyg-ever-had) Pass protection did not come naturally: he called himself "horrible" at it as a rookie, and said he used offseason boxing, wrestling, and MMA-type training to improve his body control and willingness to block 250-pound linebackers.[14](https://www.espn.com/blog/new-york/giants/post/_/id/26445/tiki-wilson-as-dynamic-as-nyg-ever-had)
## Records and legacy
Barber's name fills the Giants record book. He owns the franchise marks for rushing attempts in a career (2,217) and in a season (357 in 2005), and for rushing yards in a career, in a season (1,860 in 2005), and in a game (234).[5](https://www.giants.com/news/tiki-barber) His 17,359 all-purpose yards are also a franchise record, and he holds the top three and four of the top five single-season rushing totals in team history.[5](https://www.giants.com/news/tiki-barber) He is the only running back in Giants history with 10,000 career rushing yards, and his career rushing yards rank among the franchise's best.[16](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/is-giants-rookie-rb-tyrone-tracy-the-next-tiki-barber-nfl-on-cbs-analyst-weighs-in-on-comparison/) His 15,632 yards from scrimmage lead any player who has worn a Giants uniform by more than 6,000 yards.[4](https://www.giants.com/news/tiki-barber-semifinalist-pro-football-hall-of-fame-class-of-2024)
At the league level, his 15,632 scrimmage yards rank 15th in NFL history.[4](https://www.giants.com/news/tiki-barber-semifinalist-pro-football-hall-of-fame-class-of-2024) He never won a [Super Bowl](https://www.edgepedia.org/super-bowl), and he retired after the 2006 season at age 31, a decision that drew criticism because it came while he was still producing at a high level.[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BarbTi00.htm) • [17](https://www.nfl.com/news/ronde-barber-eventually-will-make-hall-of-fame-0ap1000000168317)
## Hall of Fame candidacy
Barber has not been elected to the [Pro Football Hall of Fame](https://www.edgepedia.org/pro-football-hall-of-fame).[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BarbTi00.htm) For years he did not reach the semifinalist stage of the selection process; he finally did so for the Hall of Fame's Class of 2024, the first time since he retired.[18](https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/state_your_case_why_numbers_prove_tiki_barber_is_hall_of_fame_worthy/s1_16688_39628657) • [4](https://www.giants.com/news/tiki-barber-semifinalist-pro-football-hall-of-fame-class-of-2024) Pro Football Reference's Hall of Fame Monitor, a formula for gauging the strength of a candidacy, scores him at 58.50, 35th among running backs, against an average of 105.61 for Hall of Fame running backs.[1](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BarbTi00.htm) • [19](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/about/hof_monitor.htm)
## Broadcasting and later life
After retiring, Barber landed a broadcast job at NBC, where he contributed to the "Today" show and "Football Night in America."[3](https://njhalloffame.org/2023-inductees/2023-tiki-barber/) He has remained active as a media commentator on the Giants and the league, and he has also pursued long-distance running, discussing his marathon training and how it differs from the demands of a 10-year NFL career.[20](https://boardroom.tv/tiki-barber-marathon-running-nyc/) He was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2023.[3](https://njhalloffame.org/2023-inductees/2023-tiki-barber/)
## References
1. [Tiki Barber Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College, Pro-Football-Reference.com](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BarbTi00.htm)
2. [Tiki Barber Stats Summary, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/players/tiki-barber/stats/)
3. [Tiki Barber, New Jersey Hall of Fame (2023 inductee)](https://njhalloffame.org/2023-inductees/2023-tiki-barber/)
4. [Tiki Barber reaches semifinalist stage for Pro Football Hall of Fame, Giants.com](https://www.giants.com/news/tiki-barber-semifinalist-pro-football-hall-of-fame-class-of-2024)
5. [Tiki Barber, Giants.com Ring of Honor](https://www.giants.com/news/tiki-barber)
6. [2011 Session, Virginia General Assembly House Joint Resolution 694](https://legacylis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?111+ful+HJ694+pdf=)
7. [Barber era cut short at Virginia; Ronde will give NFL a try, Roanoke Times, January 4, 1997](https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/ROA-Times/issues/1997/rt9701/970104/01060039.htm)
8. [R. Barber to leave U-Va. for NFL draft, The Washington Post, January 4, 1997](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/01/04/r-barber-to-leave-u-va-for-nfl-draft/6ce090d7-2ba2-4cab-af22-6ae311e51d6e/)
9. [2025 Virginia Football Record Book](https://static.virginiasports.com/custompages/sports/m-footbl/factbook/2025/2025_Virginia_Football_Record_Book_web.pdf)
10. [NFC East Hall of Fame debate, ESPN](https://www.espn.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/id/15416/nfc-east-hall-of-fame-debate)
11. [What set Tiki Barber apart? Yardbarker](https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/what_set_tiki_barber_apart_i_believe_everything_i_did_had_meaning/s1_16688_39648591)
12. [NFL Week 16 press box notes, 2005](https://nflmediaarchive.nfl.net/nflmedia/w_releases/2005w%20releases/Press%20Box%20Notes/WEEK%2016.pdf)
13. [LeGarrette Blount adopting Tiki Barber's running style, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/news/legarrette-blount-adopting-tiki-barber-s-running-style-09000d5d82a04788)
14. [Tiki Barber: David Wilson 'as dynamic' as NYG ever had, ESPN](https://www.espn.com/blog/new-york/giants/post/_/id/26445/tiki-wilson-as-dynamic-as-nyg-ever-had)
15. [Aging Barber can still provide a punch for willing team, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/news/aging-barber-can-still-provide-a-punch-for-willing-team-09000d5d8206adb2)
16. [Is Giants rookie RB Tyrone Tracy the next Tiki Barber? CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/is-giants-rookie-rb-tyrone-tracy-the-next-tiki-barber-nfl-on-cbs-analyst-weighs-in-on-comparison/)
17. [Ronde Barber eventually will make Hall of Fame, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/news/ronde-barber-eventually-will-make-hall-of-fame-0ap1000000168317)
18. [State Your Case: Why numbers prove Tiki Barber is Hall-of-Fame worthy, Yardbarker](https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/state_your_case_why_numbers_prove_tiki_barber_is_hall_of_fame_worthy/s1_16688_39628657)
19. [PFR Hall of Fame Monitor, Pro-Football-Reference.com](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/about/hof_monitor.htm)
20. [Tiki Barber marathon continues: former NFL RB talks what's next, Boardroom](https://boardroom.tv/tiki-barber-marathon-running-nyc/)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Rugby and other football codes › American football players, coaches, and executives › Running backs › Retired NFL running backs › NFL running backs of the 1990s and 2000s*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license