Former Cowboys, Bears RB Marion Barber III Dies at Age 38
June 2, 2022
Former Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears running back Marion Barber III has died at the age of 38.
According to Annie Gimbel of CBS DFW, Barber was found dead in his apartment by authorities during a welfare check Wednesday. There were no obvious signs of foul play.
The Cowboys and Bears issued their condolences via social media:
Barber starred at Minnesota during the early 2000s while forming a dynamic rushing duo with future NFL running back Laurence Maroney.
Both of them amassed over 1,100 rushing yards apiece in 2003 and 2004. The 2003 team won 10 games and finished 20th in the Associated Press poll.
For his collegiate career, Barber rushed for 3,276 yards and 35 touchdowns for a 5.7-yard-per-attempt clip. He notably amassed 2,465 yards and 28 touchdowns between 2003 and 2004.
The Cowboys selected Barber in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL draft. He enjoyed a great four-year stretch from 2006 to 2009, accumulating 4,562 yards from scrimmage and 44 touchdowns, including 16 scores in 2006 alone.
Barber's best season occurred for the 2007 Cowboys, who went 13-3, won the NFC East and finished first in the conference standings.
He amassed a career-high 975 rushing yards alongside 10 touchdowns and a Pro Bowl appearance. Barber's 248 touches led a Cowboys team that finished second in scoring only behind the historically great New England Patriots.
The former Golden Gopher was a force to be reckoned with on the football field, as this highlight reel shows.
The Cowboys released Barber after 2010, and he signed with the Bears for 2011. He worked as the RB2 behind Matt Forte in Chicago before retiring in 2012.
Many people offered their remembrances of his excellent play alongside condolences upon news of his death.
Perhaps the most notable remembrance came from ESPN's Turron Davenport, who recognized the work Barber did in the communities where he played.
TURRON DAVENPORT @TDavenport_NFLRIP to Marion Barber. 39 yrs old. Gone way too soon. Great dude. I remember working his camp in 2011 in Minnesota. He fed over 100 kids gave them shirts too. Barber purchased over $500k in computers for a less fortunate school district on Dallas that same year. <a href="https://t.co/rsS4QDecEE">pic.twitter.com/rsS4QDecEE</a>
Barber ended his career with 6,110 scrimmage yards and 59 touchdowns in seven seasons (99 games).