Retired New York Giants running back Tiki Barber may have burned his bridge with many Big Blue fans after his unjust criticism of Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin following his retirement, but that shouldn’t diminish what he did on the field..
During his 10-year career, Barber was one of the best in the game. In fact, during the final stages of his career, Barber was the best in the game, racking up three consecutive 2,000-yard (from scrimmage) seasons.
Ultimately, Barber stepped away from the game having amassed more than 10,000 rushing yards, 15,500 yards from scrimmage and 17,000 all-purpose yards to go along with 68 touchdowns.
But Barber retired one year too early and missing out on a Super Bowl ring likely cost the superstar back a chance at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Bryan DeArdo of CBS Sports recently took a look back at Barber’s career and the career of many other top-end players who have yet to reach the stairs of Canton. In the end, he pegged Tiki as the best Giants player lacking a bust in the Hall.
After receiving just 11 starts during his first three seasons, Barber broke through in 2000, amassing over 1,700 all-purpose yards while helping the Giants reach the Super Bowl. He went on to enjoy six more highly productive seasons with the Giants that included three consecutive Pro Bowl seasons. Barber earned All-Pro honors in 2005, when he rushed for a career-high 1,860 yards (the 13th-highest single-season total in NFL history). During his final three seasons, Barber averaged 1,680 rushing yards (while averaging 5 yards per carry) and 2,204 all-purpose yards. In 2006, his final NFL season, Barber rushed for 1,662 yards while reaching 2,000 all-purpose yards for a third straight season.
Interestingly, DeArdo added a second Giant to his list, but he did so under the Arizona Cardinals.
Ottis Anderson’s success during his eight seasons with the Cardinals, along with his late-career resurgence with the Giants, should be enough to one day earn him a place in Canton. The 1979 offensive Rookie of the Year, Anderson earned All-Pro honors that season while rushing for a career-high 1,605 yards. In his first 86 games with the Cardinals, Anderson averaged 86 rushing yards and 111 all-purpose yards. He also scored 45 touchdowns while helping the Cardinals post three consecutive winning seasons from 1982-84.
Wide receiver Herman Moore, who spent the final season of his career (2002) with the Giants, also made the cut for the Detroit Lions.
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