When Tiki Barber retired, many questioned the decision.  Many thought he still had a lot to give on the field, despite the golden path he was given in broadcasting.  The critics may have been proven right as the New York Giants won the Super Bowl the year after he left, and he was chastised for criticizing his former players. It is too bad that is what he is known for now, because during his prime he was one of the best running backs in the game.

Tiki Barber didn’t start off as a superstar.  He was brought into the NFL by the Giants with the hope that he could occasionally befuddle defenses with his unique cutbacks.  The man who many thought of only as a third-down back would become the workhorse of the New York Giants’ offense for years and was the only shining light on some dismal campaigns in Gotham.

Tiki was not just a star when his Giants were bad but was equally effective in their good seasons.  He shocked the sporting world with his early retirement, and recent news reports suggest he may be ready to shock them again with a potential return.  Had he not retired prematurely, many signs point to Tiki Barber racking up the statistics necessary to reach Canton.  He may have put himself on the bubble forever because of it.