Tiki Barber Becomes Free Agent: Short List Includes Steelers, Bucs

My tolerance of, and optimism regarding, the many comeback stories we’ve discussed during this lockout-plagued NFL offseason seems to be much lower than most people’s. Still, my reaction to this, as a Steelers fan, is a great big no. Not only has Barber spent four years away from football, but at 36, he’s well past the age when most running backs are effective.

It goes without saying that there are certain double standards that exist in life that we can try to explain or we can just accept them. On paper, wantonly carrying a loaded weapon in public and allowing it to discharge accidentally is worse than saying something mean about another person.

But in the world of the NFL (and maybe even your world), it’s the other way around for whatever reason. Pride? Code of conduct? Man-code? All the same thing?

....We don’t know.

But Tiki knows.

Barber also said something that he should remember -- the game stops for no one.

If Barber can’t cut it anymore, no team is going to employ him simply because he’s Tiki Barber. What he’s done in the past matters very little when you’re 36 years old and been out of the game for four years. He’s facing an uphill battle but it sounds like he’s started to work out again and get back in shape.

Albert Breer of NFL Network writes via Twitter that he’s heard Barber wants to play with the Steelers (or Patriots) but the question is whether the Steelers would take him. As pointed out by PFT, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette splashed some cold water on the idea of Barber going to Pittsburgh with a story back in March when Barber announced his intentions to return to the NFL.

It would appear that, while Barber is interested in Pittsburgh, not everyone in the organization would welcome him.

The reports are indeed true. Former New York Giants RB Tiki Barber is attempting a come back to the NFL after originally retiring following the 2006 NFL season. He confirmed the news to Jay Glazer of FOXSports.com.

As we noted, his brother, Ronde, recently signed a one-year deal to remain in Tampa Bay with the Bucs. We don’t know the whole story behind his return but it’s hard to ignore the reports that came out last summer suggesting he was having financial troubles after divorcing his wife.

This is the most out-of-the-blue story we’ve heard in a while. Barber retired from the NFL after the 2006 season so it’s been over four years since he played a down in the NFL.

Why come back now? Why all of a sudden? We haven’t heard from anyone from Barber’s camp to explain the decision.