NFL Legend Snaps at Modern-Day Star Running Back In Heated Exchange

NFL legend Tiki Barber took aim at modern-day star running back Austin Ekeler following his recent comments explaining his move from the Los Angeles Chargers to the Washington Commanders.

Ekeler, who signed a lucrative two-year, $11.43 million deal with the Commanders in March, opened up about his departure from the Chargers, citing a misalignment in vision with the team's expectations.

He expressed on Kay Adams' Up and Adams Show, "They wanted a guy to hand the ball off to 300 times a year... that's not my game. There was a misalignment there, no harm, no foul."

However, Barber, speaking on WFAN sports radio on Tuesday, expressed disappointment with Ekeler's remarks. When asked about it, he criticized Ekeler's view.

"Go look at how many times I ran the ball 300 times a season," Barber asserted, defending the traditional demands of the position.

He added, "You've got the Christian McCaffreys of the world, who make $19 million a year. And then you’ve got these other guys who can’t make eight. And you wonder why. The mentality has changed from an organization standpoint.”

Barber, known for his career with the New York Giants, highlighted the evolution of the running back role, contrasting high-earning backs like Christian McCaffrey with those like Ekeler, whose earnings he questioned.

Barber ranks 27th all-time with 10,449 rushing yards, while Ekeler stands at 198th with 4,355 yards.

Regardless of their contrasting viewpoints, Ekeler will have a chance to prove Barber wrong in the 2024 NFL season.

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