Ever since RB Tiki Barber announced he would be returning to the NFL, there haven't been any solid reports on where he might go. Some think he wants to play for the Patriots while others wonder if he could reunite with his brother in Tampa Bay.
Tiki Barber To Pittsburgh Steelers? Not Everyone Agrees
Peter King of SI.com says his best guess is the Pittsburgh Steelers citing Mike Tomlin as one of the reasons.
The Steelers have a head coach the Barber family knows well -- Mike Tomlin is close to twin Ronde Barber after coaching him in Tampa from 2001 to 2005 and also knows Tiki. Tomlin wouldn't be afraid of the sideshow Tiki Barber might create, nor would he be shy about pulling the plug if the 36-year-old back couldn't beat out the likes of Mewelde Moore.
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.
They will not invite that into the franchise, especially when it involves a 36-year-old running back (his birthday is April 7) who’s been out of the game for four years and who, if he’s hurt in training camp, they would have to pay and count against the salary cap. So the coaches (including Mike Tomlin, who used to coach Ronde Barber in Tampa Bay) can talk up Tiki Barber all they want; their bosses won’t allow it.
It would appear that, while Barber is interested in Pittsburgh, not everyone in the organization would welcome him.
Check out SB Nation’s Behind The Steel Curtain where the idea of Barber coming to Pittsburgh isn’t welcomed.
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