Tag: marion barber

Cowboys-Rams Throwback Thursday: Best short gain in team history?

Which was the craziest short-yardage gain in Cowboys’ history? Tony Romo’s escape vs the Rams or Marion Barber’s against the Pats? Relive both here. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Dallas Cowboys are gearing up to face off against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 8 of the 2023 season. The teams have met 28 times previously, with Dallas owning a 15-13 advantage in the head-to-head series. The teams have split the last four contests and Dallas has won six of the last 10. Most of the Cowboys’ victories during this recent stretch have been blowouts while most of the Rams’ wins were close contests.

One of Dallas’ blowouts occurred in 2007, when the Cowboys broke a 7-7 tie late in the first half and scored the final 28 points en route to a 35-7 victory. The Week 4 win sent Dallas to a 4-0 record at the time as it was one of the best Cowboys’ teams of this millennia. There was one lasting memory from the contest though, and it wasn’t even a scoring play.

‘I was scared’: Former Cowboys CB Terence Newman recalls chance run-in with Marion Barber

The longtime Cowboy spoke of seeing Barber back in 2019 and knowing something was wrong. ‘He looked like he wasn’t there,” Newman says. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Terence Newman was literally talking about the toll that football takes on the body when he saw the news of Marion Barber’s passing.

In a wide-ranging interview with Tyler Dunne of Go Long, the former Cowboys cornerback had been discussing the smart, quick-strike style of play that made him the fifth overall pick by Dallas in the 2003 draft. He recalled a Kansas State teammate who, conversely, served as the “kamikaze” on special teams. He remembered how his fellow Wildcat would “run down on the kickoff and lead with his head. Make big hits.”

He said his ex-teammate “had advance stages of CTE and was bedridden for half of a month.”

Newman compared him to Junior Seau and other past stars in the way he played, positing that “if they were alive right now, they would tell you to make it more of a finesse game.”

Indeed, just minutes after using the phrase “battle of attrition” when referring to the sport and sharing a story about Coach Bill Parcells expecting guys to play hurt during his time in Dallas, the 15-year veteran was suddenly flooded with notifications and text messages about the Cowboys running back being found in his apartment on June 1.

The two-time Pro Bowler’s immediate reaction indicated that, while saddened by the news of Barber’s passing, he wasn’t terribly surprised.

“I had seen Marion three years ago, just before I moved out here. It was raining, and I’m driving to the gas station- probably about a mile from my house- and Marion had lived in a high-rise not far from my house. So I see this guy walking down the street, in the rain. I get to the gas station, and it’s Marion. I hadn’t seen Marion in a while, but I heard he had fallen on hard times and wasn’t doing too well. So we talked and exchanged numbers, but I was scared when I saw him. He looked bad. He looked like he wasn’t there, like he was a different person, like he couldn’t function. And that’s probably why he was walking and not driving. When I tell you I was scared, I thought he might swing on me. I was actually scared.”

Newman was not the first ex-teammate to express concerns for the punishing runner’s health and well-being. Wideout Dez Bryant had described Barber as “down and out bad” in a tweet last July. Safety Keith Davis checked on Barber frequently and wondered, “Did I do enough? Could I have done something else?”

Newman continued with what he had seen personally back in 2019, shortly before leaving the Dallas area.

“His face was just droopy. It looked like he was homeless. Like he lived on the streets. I guess he had so many concussions that it really impacted him. I read in the paper he had gone to a church and got arrested — in a little town just outside of Dallas. He had taken a gun to church, and he had shown the people in the church the gun. So they called the cops and took him in for a mental evaluation.”

Nine days later, Barber’s official cause of death has yet to be revealed. But Newman believes concussions from playing football certainly contributed.

“I think that had to play some type of role in whatever happened to him,” he told Dunne.

Barber would have turned 39 on June 10.

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Barber family shares details in RB’s death; ex-Cowboy’s brain will not be donated for CTE research

Definitive answers are slow to come due to the condition of Barber’s body, though foul play is not suspected. A funeral is set for June 22. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Details are emerging slowly in the death of Marion Barber III, though they are not providing much in the way of genuine answers or solace to family, friends, or fans of the late Cowboys running back.

As of midday Friday, a cause of death had not been revealed. But the Barber family has made several announcements about what will happen next as funeral arrangements are being planned.

Sadly, it appears a full account of what killed Barber may be hard to definitively determine.

Barber was found dead in his Frisco apartment on Wednesday by police officers conducting a welfare check. His body was in the bathroom with the shower running, Marion Barber II, the ex-Cowboy’s father, explained as per Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

A water leak from the apartment first alerted other residents of the unit to a potential problem. Barber is not known to have been in contact with anyone since Saturday.

It’s not clear how long Barber’s body was left exposed to the hot running water, but Barber II says that the condition of the decomposed body may be making examination difficult. Foul play is not suspected, however.

“They are just using tissue as they dig further into the cause of death,” Barber II said. “They are ruling out things. They haven’t seen any trauma, no foul substances in his body. His lungs were in working order. The heart and veins around the heart were good. They are ruling things out. Right now, we are just waiting.”

It is hoped that the Frisco coroner will have more answers on Sunday, he said.

Zoltan Papp, the lawyer who represented Barber in the legal case following his 2019 arrest, says he saw no signs that his client and friend was in any sort of trouble or distress.

“There was no indication of any desire to end his life, if that is what happened,” Papp said, according to TMZ Sports. “Everything was about the fight to bring justice and to help others. Marion is a person who at his core is pure good.”

Papp explained that Barber had recently committed to writing a book and was focused on addressing social injustice. The Minnesota native and former Golden Gophers star maintained that he had been profiled by Texas police in the incident that resulted in him pleading no contest just weeks ago to two counts of criminal mischief and being sentenced to 12 months of probation, 60 hours of community service, and a $2,000 fine.

“He has been a warrior for all in a constant battle with an unjust system,” Papp said. “He attacked his craft of football and life with grace, integrity, purpose and authenticity.”

Given Barber’s young age, his notably violent style of play over seven pro seasons, and at least two hospitalizations for mental evaluations since his 2012 retirement, many have assumed that this may be the latest tragic case of CTE claiming an otherwise healthy athlete.

Papp countered that assessment.

“Marion’s personality is grounded as a very humble and soft-spoken man,” he said, “and that may be wrongly taken as cognitive dysfunction.”

Whether the game he loved ultimately claimed Barber’s life may never be known. Barber’s family says there will be no extensive autopsy and that the running back’s brain will not be donated for research.

“He was real specific in his will that he didn’t want that,” Barber II said. “We are going to respect that. But in the condition his body was in, according to the examiner, that probably would have been a moot point because of the decomposition.”

To further add to the tragedy, the Barber family has elected to postpone funeral arrangements for a particularly heart-wrenching reason.

Marion’s youngest brother is set to be married on June 10. The date had been previously chosen as a tribute to Marion; it would have been his 39th birthday.

The family plans to move forward with the wedding. Marion’s funeral will take place on June 22 in Minneapolis, Barber’s hometown.

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Marion Barber’s Cowboys teammates hint at familiar football concerns

Dez Bryant and Keith Davis played with Marion Barber. Both saw signs that he was struggling, likely due to his violent job as an NFL RB. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Authorities are still trying to piece together what happened to ex-Cowboys running back Marion Barber. Just a few days shy of his 39th birthday, the former fourth-round draft pick was found unresponsive in his Frisco apartment on Wednesday.

A cause of death has not been announced as of midday Thursday, but it is apparent that Barber was going through an especially tough time in his final days. As per a Fort Worth Star-Telegram report, Barber had not had any contact with anyone since Saturday.

Local police were apparently notified of water leaking from an apartment leased to Barber and reported to the residence to perform a welfare check. They had to force entry into the apartment.

A punishing runner with the football, Barber was released by the Cowboys in 2011 after six seasons with the club. He played one more year with Chicago before retiring from football and, in most regards, public life.

When his name did surface in the media, it was generally as part of a story that caused concern.

According to Clarence Hill Jr., Barber had been hospitalized twice for mental health evaluations since leaving the game.

Barber was detained by police in the Dallas-Fort Worth suburb of Mansfield in 2014 and taken to a hospital for one of those evaluations. An arrest in 2019 followed, resulting from an incident where he allegedly damaged two vehicles while he was running in Frisco.

He pleaded no contest in that case, to two counts of criminal mischief, just a few weeks ago. He was sentenced to a year of probation, 60 hours of community service, and a $2,000 fine.

Barber claimed he had been profiled by local police.

Former Cowboys teammate Dez Bryant was particularly worried about Barber last July.

Responding to a video highlight package featuring Barber, Bryant tweeted, “As I watch this video and me knowing exactly how Marion barber life is going right now today is why I built @personalcorner,” referring to a website the wide receiver had helped to start. “I can’t even enjoy it because he’s down and out bad… we are just a stat and moments to most people…”

In another post Wednesday night, Bryant paid tribute to Barber, mentioning his name alongside Demaryius Thomas and Vincent Jackson, other NFL players who have passed away recently at a young age.

“They can’t tell us what’s happening. We all know!” Bryant said, later stating that he had “another meeting” with the NFL Players Association set for Thursday.

Safety Keith Davis was Barber’s teammate in Dallas for three seasons and had remained close with the Minnesota native. The pair spoke weekly; their last conversation was on Friday. Davis says he sent Barber a Bible verse on Wednesday, as was his tradition.

“It’s crazy,” Davis said. “It makes me feel like, ‘Did I do enough? Could I have done something else?’ I know whatever happened to him, it wasn’t him.”

Davis, like Bryant, alluded to the terrible mental toll the sport has exacted on so many football players, sometimes long after their careers. Hall of Fame offensive lineman and Cowboys legend Rayfield Wright just passed away in April at the age of 76. He had been diagnosed with dementia and was vocal about memory issues, cognitive problems, headaches, and seizures.

Barber had been out of football for only 10 years.

But Davis’s comments hint at a belief that the tragic consequences that hastened the end of Barber’s life were likely the result of countless violent hits his friend sustained on the field.

“We all play this game. I have these crazy thoughts,” Davis said. “But I have people around me. I can’t remember certain stuff. It gets scary sometimes. But that hurt. That hurt. He has a great heart. He loved his music. Whatever happened to him, it was not MB.”

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Why have NFL obituaries become so unfeeling?

Why were obituaries for Marion Barber, Dwayne Haskins, and Marty Schottenheimer so unfeeling? We must understand life beyond the field.

On Wednesday, former Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears running back Marion Barber III was found dead in his Frisco, Texas apartment. Barber was just 38 years old. The cause of Barber’s death is unknown at this time, but it’s certainly tragic when anybody dies that young. The resulting obituaries should be handled with sensitivity and grace, and you’d think major news outlets would understand that.

Sadly, this is not always the case. ABC News, who repurposed the Associated Press’ report on Barber’s death via syndication, put this tweet out to link to the story.

What Barber’s yearly yardage totals from 2005 through 2011 had to do with his death is also unknown. But if we want to drill down there, Barber never had more than 238 carries in a season, and he gained at least 885 yards in three different seasons — 885 in 2008, 932 in 2009, and 975 in 2007.

But again, why are we making this part of Barber’s life a headline after his death? Barber was also named to the Pro Bowl in 2007, and he was one of the NFL’s more dominant power runners for a few seasons. Why go where ABC News did?

It’s not the only recent example of a football player receiving inappropriate biographical context upon his passing. When former NFL quarterback Dwayne Haskins was killed at age 24 after he was hit by a truck in Florida on April 9, 2022, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted this:

Is it true that Haskins struggled with two NFL teams after his time at Ohio State? Yes. Is it appropriate to lead a summary of Haskins’ life with those facts? Let’s just say that we should be able to do better. Schefter eventually apologized for the tweet, but the overriding issue remains: When did we decide that leading with somebody’s most prominent struggles was the best way to encapsulate their life upon their death?

When former AFL linebacker and NFL head coach Marty Schottenheimer died on February 8, 2021 at age 77 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease, the Washington Post decided to lead Schottenheimer’s obituary with this headline:

The Post changed the headline after the newspaper was justifiably obliterated in the court of public opinion, but under whose watch did this even happen in the first place? Schottenheimer ranks eighth in pro football history as a head coach with 200 regular-season wins. He was also a one-time Pro Bowler as a linebacker for the Buffalo Bills, for whom helped win the AFL title in his rookie season of 1964. Yes, his 5-12 postseason record is noteworthy, but must we lead with it? Is that all there is to Marty Schottenheimer’s life, especially in an era where we’re far more prone to reading the headline from a tweet as opposed to reading the entire story? Editors must be aware of this reality, they must act accordingly, and they must certainly avoid creating clickbait headlines after somebody dies.

The New York Times published an anthology of its most legendary obituaries in 2016, and you can see how these things are supposed to be done. Even the obit for Princess Diana — “Princess Diana, Who Was Beloved, Yet Troubled by Her Crown” — gives you a more complete picture of her life than a simple shot across the bow. 

Football is a game in which its purveyors are defined to a large degree by their statistical achievements. That’s entirely fair, but it should not travel with those who have left us… as they leave us. If sports departments don’t know how to write obituaries, they should take some time to learn, or hand the job off to those who know better.

Let’s remember Marion Barber by reflecting on the greatest 2-yard run ever

Let’s remember Barber the right way.

Marion Barber was found dead in his Texas apartment Wednesday. At age 38, it was entirely too soon for a seven-year NFL veteran who played a major role on some very good Dallas Cowboys teams.

Barber was a constant for a franchise that ushered out the brief Bill Parcells/Drew Bledsoe and welcomed the even briefer Wade Phillips/Tony Romo one. His bull-nosed runs led to 57 wins in six seasons, despite significant personnel turnover. He split platoons with Julius Jones, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice and generally reveled in his ability to elude linebackers or, in a pinch, shuck them aside like corn husks.

With one glorious run in 2007, we got to see both. That was the year the Cowboys hosted the soon-to-be 16-0 New England Patriots in a spotlight showdown in Dallas. While the Pats’ offense gets all the hype, it was backed by a top-5 defense led by players like Asante Samuel, Vince Wilfork, Mike Vrabel, Junior Seau and Rodney Harrison. With the Cowboys facing first-and-20 deep in their own territory, each had a shot at Barber.

Every one missed.

Behold, the greatest two-yard run in modern NFL history.

It starts with disaster:

Jarvis Green has pushed right tackle Flozell Adams into the backfield. Rodney Harrison, having sniffed out the run, moved all the way up to the line of scrimmage pre-snap. Tony Romo is in his first full season as a starter and doesn’t yet have the ability to figure out how plays will unfold before they happen. He should’ve audibled out of this, but that would have prevented the magic from happening.

Fourteen seconds later, Barber will be on the opposite side of the field from where he was supposed to go and it will be second-and-18. But let’s analyze the play’s biggest moments as they happen.

Welp, Harrison’s got him. This is over.

Oh no, he’s going backward. And worse yet, former first-round pick Ty Warren has a free run at him while future Hall of Famer Junior Seau lies in wait. If he’s not careful, this will be a safety.

Yep, now he’s in the end zone and in a battle of strength with Seau. HOW IS THIS GETTING WORSE?

OK, he broke free, but now he’s deeper in the end zone, and Vince Wilfork is chasing him. All free safety James Sanders has to do is slow him down, and Wilfork can mush him with that 330-pound frame of his.

That’s not what happened, but there’s still several angry swarming bees to be dealt with. Case in point, All-Pro cornerback Asante Samuel has streaked in from out of frame to wrap up Barber around the waist.

Nope! Well, surely Green can wrap this up and deliver two po-

Man, come on. That dark blue blur barreling toward some unlucky photographer beyond the sideline, by the way? That’s Mike Vrabel. After powering through multiple Patriot defenders and covering 45 yards of turf, Barber still has the afterburners to make a 2007 All-Pro miss him by two full yards.

And here New England’s embarrassment comes to a merciful end. Barber is pushed out of bounds one yard beyond the line of scrimmage. The officials, respecting the monumental work he’s just put in, double his gain in tribute.

The entire play lasted 15 seconds. For those 15 seconds, he was the greatest running back in the universe. Barber shed, by my count, seven tackles — eight if we’re counting Vrabel’s dive into oblivion. Saquon Barkley, by comparison, carried the ball 162 times and was credited with four broken tackles for the entire 2021 season.

This is one of the most beautiful, sloppy, and ultimately perfect plays in NFL history. And it only gained two yards! It was a pit stop en route to a 21-point Cowboys loss. But every inch of that run mattered to the tailback who refused to settle for anything less.

That’s the Marion Barber I remember. Rest in peace, Barbarian.

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Cowboys community, football world reacts to passing of Marion Barber

Those who coached, played with and against, covered, or just got to watch the former Cowboys RB took to social media following his passing. | From @ToddBrock24f7

News of Marion Barber’s passing at the age of 38 was a blow felt by the entire football community.

Many of those who coached him, played with him, played against him, covered him in the media, or simply watched him run the ball in his one-of-a-kind style took to social media Wednesday night and early Thursday to voice their grief and pay tribute to the unique talent of “Marion the Barbarian.”

 

Former Cowboys RB Marion Barber found dead in his apartment

Marion “The Barbarian” Barber was found dead Wednesday at his apartment. Barber was 38 and played in Dallas for six seasons. | From @CDBurnett7

Former Dallas Cowboys running back Marion Barber was found dead Wednesday at the age of 38. Frisco police found the former star in his apartment. The cause of death is unknown and the officers are unable to provide any other information at this time.

Coming out of the University of Minnesota, Barber was selected by Dallas in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL draft. After a rookie season with over 500 rushing yards, the man donned “The Barbarian” led the NFL in rushing touchdowns in 2006 with 14.

Over the next four years, Barber remained a key running back for the Cowboys and made one of the most memorable plays in team history, escaping a sure safety 10 yards behind the line of scrimmage to actually end up gaining yardage.

Barber had a one-year stint in Chicago for the 2011 season before retiring, and he finished his career with 6,110 scrimmage yards and 59 touchdowns. Barber was 38.

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Zamir White compared to former Dallas Cowboys RB

Georgia Bulldogs running back Zamir White has been compared to Marion Barber ahead of the 2022 NFL draft

Georgia Bulldogs running back Zamir “Zeus” White has helped his cause with a good NFL combine and predraft process. White is expected to be selected on Day 2 or Day 3 of the 2022 NFL draft.

White is a former five-star recruit who overcame a pair of ACL injuries to have a great college football career with Georgia. White finished his career with 25 rushing touchdowns and averaged more than five yards per carry.

White played the role of a bruising running back for Georgia. James Cook and Kenny McIntosh were the Bulldogs’ better receiving backs. White has impressive physical abilities and is one of the toughest running backs to tackle in the the 2022 NFL draft.

Zamir White has been compared to former Dallas Cowboys running back Marion Barber ahead of the NFL draft. Who is Marion Barber?

Dallas Cowboys running back Marion Barber (24) carries the ball. Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Marion Barber had a seven-season NFL career from 2005-2011. He played six seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and one season with the Chicago Bears. Barber scored 59 total touchdowns and accumulated 4,780 rushing yards in his NFL career.

Barber was selected in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL draft out of Minnesota. White will likely be selected in a similar round in the 2022 NFL draft.

Here’s what NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein has to say about White’s best traits and biggest weaknesses ahead of his rookie NFL season:

White is a naturally powerful runner with a lower half that is hard to knock off-balance no matter how clean the shot. He’s not very dynamic as a runner but is a two-way creator with lateral jump-cuts to avoid tackles and the power to run through them. He’s a wide-base runner who should excel in gap and inside zone schemes, but his running style might not lend itself to a long career. He has two ACL tears in his background and is unlikely to play on passing downs, but he’s a formidable “thunder” back waiting to be paired with a “lightning” cohort and will give running games a chance to test the resolve of defenses for four full quarters.

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Cowboys News: HoF game vs Steelers in doubt? Dak, Emmitt want end to qualified immunity

Also in Cowboys news, Troy Aikman recalls his legacy, Gerald McCoy eagerly awaits the national spotlight, and a likely holdout candidate.

Two of the Cowboys’ biggest stars are lending their names in support of a bill aimed at ending a practice that shields police violence as the sports world continues to rally around the racial injustice issues of the day.

But the COVID-19 pandemic is still wreaking havoc with normality, and now the league may be talking about cutting the preseason in half as teams scramble to prepare for business as usual. Also, a Cowboys legend speaks about his unique legacy, a new Cowboys leader looks forward to the national spotlight (and beyond), and Dak Prescott tops a list that fans would rather not see him on at all. That’s all ahead in this edition of News and Notes.

Dak Prescott, Emmitt Smith among Dallas Cowboys stars seeking to end qualified immunity :: Fort Worth Star-Telegram

The team’s current starting quarterback and the league’s all-time leading rusher are among more than 1,400 current and retired athletes, coaches, GMs, and staffers from the NFL, NBA, and Major League Baseball who have signed a letter to Congress supporting a bill to end qualified immunity, which makes it difficult to sue police officers for brutality. Amari Cooper, Nate Newton, and DeMarcus Ware also lent their signatures.

NFL, NFLPA discussing possibility of shortened preseason :: NFL.com

“Nothing has been finalized or is near finalization, but multiple team executives informed of talks currently believe they could end up playing half of the typical preseason schedule, going from four games to two,” according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The abbreviated preseason would allow for a longer ramp-up for players who have been unable to work with their teams due to stay-at-home restrictions.

No mention was made what would happen to the Hall of Fame game, which is scheduled ahead of the four-week preseason and features Dallas and the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2020. If the first two weeks of the exhibition season are cancelled, having two teams play in a game three weeks prior to every other team makes little sense.

Richard Sherman calls out Jerry Jones, Dez Bryant defends Cowboys owner :: Cowboys Wire

Throughout the nationwide conversation about racial inequality in this country over the last week, the outspoken owner has been silent. 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman says that’s part of the problem, even as Dez Bryant defends his former employer.

Troy Aikman: My legacy was going to be about winning championships :: Blogging the Boys

The three-time Super Bowl champion joined former Dallas teammate Darren Woodson on his podcast to dispel the myth that his teams of the ’90s weren’t adept at throwing the ball, and how he knew that his career would be defined by league titles rather than passing titles. Aikman also touches on how he reached “a breaking point” and assumed he’d leave Dallas to play somewhere else.

The Real McCoy: DT provides solution Cowboys haven’t tried yet, proven talent :: Cowboys Wire

In CW’s daily countdown to the regular season, No. 93 Gerald McCoy enters the crosshairs. A complete profile on what he adds to Dallas and what the DL room looks like with his presence.

Mick Shots: Herding them around this McCoy :: The Mothership

Mickey Spagnola can’t wait for Gerald McCoy to get in the Cowboys locker room and start mentoring young defenders like Neville Gallimore and Trysten Hill. As for McCoy, he can’t wait to appear on national TV five times this season alone, after a grand total of four times over nine seasons with the Buccaneers.

The NFL’s 7 most likely holdout candidates entering 2020 season :: Bleacher Report

This isn’t a list Cowboys fans want to see any of their players’ names on. But no Cowboys fan who’s been near the internet so far this offseason will be the least bit shocked to see whose name is sitting at number one.

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