Marion Barber III life and biography

Marion Barber III is an American football running back for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Minnesota.

PRO: Marion Barber shed the label as a third down and short yardage back in 2007 after leading the team in all rushing categories - 204 carries for 975 yards and 10 touchdowns and earned a six-year contract extension following the season - despite not starting a game during the regular season. His hard work and bruising running style was noticed around the league as Barber was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career. With the departure of Julius Jones leading up to the 2008 season, Barber became the club's starting running back. He was closing in on his first 1,000-yard season before a dislocated toe suffered on Thanksgiving Day against Seattle slowed his progress through the final four games of the season. Despite the injury, Barber led the club in all rushing categories and rushed for 100-or-more yards three times, including a career-high 142 yards at Green Bay (9/21). The 2009 season once again featured Barber as the starting running back, as he led the club with 214 carries for 932 yards and seven touchdowns. Since his arrival in Dallas in 2005, Barber has racked up 36 rushing touchdowns, good for fifth in team history. He scored 16 total touchdowns in 2006, leading the team, tying for the NFC lead, and tying for third in the NFL. Barber had the most total touchdowns by a Cowboys running back since Emmitt Smith had 25 in 1995. His 14 rushing touchdowns were the most in the NFC and the third-most in the NFL behind LaDainian Tomlinson (28) and Larry Johnson (17). They were also the most rushing touchdowns by a Dallas running back since Smith set the club record of 25 in 1995. Barber played right away as a rookie in 2005 and finished fifth among rookies in the NFL in rushing with 538 yards. He enters the 2010 season as part of a powerful and young running back corps with 2008 draft picks Felix Jones (first round) and Tashard Choice (fourth round).

2009:
* Led the team with 214 carries for 932 yards and tied for second on the team with seven touchdowns in 15 regular season starts, missing the Carolina game (9/28) due to a bruised thigh.
* For his career, ranks sixth all-time on the club's rushing attempts list (929) and rushing yards list (3,984) and is tied with Julius Jones for the sixth-most 100-yard outings in club history with eight.
* His 10 multiple rushing touchdown games tie Tony Dorsett for the second-most multi-rushing touchdown games in team history, while his 43 career rushing touchdowns rank third in team history - Emmitt Smith (153) and Dorsett (72).
* Led the team with 14 carries for 79 yards (5.6 avg.) and one touchdown in the season-opening win at Tampa Bay (9/13).
* Against the N.Y. Giants (9/20) in the first game at Cowboys Stadium, finished with 124 rushing yards on 18 carries with one touchdown - the first-ever touchdown at Cowboys Stadium - to mark the eighth 100-yard rushing game of his career. He averaged 6.9 yards-per-carry which surpassed his previous career-high of 6.8 at Chicago (9/23/07).
* Returned to action at Denver (10/4) after missing the Carolina (9/28) game with a bruised left thigh, to record a team-high 41 yards on 11 carries and a rushing touchdown to give him 39 for his career, tying him with Calvin Hill for fourth on the club's all-time rushing touchdowns list.
* Was limited in the second half at Kansas City (10/11) with a bruised thigh, but still had a team-high 15 carries for 53 yards.
* In back-to-back wins against Atlanta (10/25) and Seattle (11/1), carried the ball 14 times for 47 yards and 14 times for 53 yards with one score, respectively, to lead the team. Moved into sole possession of fourth place in team history with 40 career rushing scores.
* Led the team at Philadelphia (11/8) with 12 carries for 50 yards while gaining first downs in the fourth quarter to help close out the game. His 50 rushing yards upped his career total to 3,499 allowing him to pass Julius Jones (3,484) and Herschel Walker (3,491) for seventh in club history.
* Had a season-high 20 carries for 99 yards to pace the team against Washington (11/22).
* Once again led the charges against Oakland (11/26) with 14 carries for 61 yards with a long run of 32 yards and added two catches for 41 yards with a long reception of 42 yards.
* In the win at the previously undefeated Saints (12/19), led the team with 17 carries for 62 yards with two rushing touchdowns. His 17 carries gave him 898 for his career and moved him into seventh place in club history. His two rushing scores upped his career total to 42 to tie him with Don Perkins for third all-time in team history and marked his 10th career multiple-rushing touchdown game to tie Dorsett for the second-most in team history.
* Recorded a team-best 17 carries for 63 yards with one touchdown while adding four receptions for 30 yards to clinch a playoff berth at Washington (12/27). He topped 900 career carries in the game becoming just the sixth Dallas Cowboy to do so, and his 915 career carries allowed him to pass Walt Garrison (899) for sixth in club history. His 63 rushing yards gave him 841 for the season, marking his third straight season with at least 800 yards to become the seventh running back in the league with at least 800 yards in each season over that span. His 3,893 career rushing yards allowed him to pass Garrison (3,886) for sixth in club history and his 43rd career rushing touchdown broke a tie with Perkins (42) for third-most in Cowboys history.
* Against Philadelphia (1/3/10) in his 75th career game, finished with 14 carries for 91 yards with a long rush of 32 yards as the team clinched their 17th NFC Division title.
* Saw limited action in the Wild Card Game against Philadelphia (1/9/10) after suffering a bruised left knee the week before, carrying the ball just three times for four yards all in the first quarter.
* In the Divisional Playoff loss at Minnesota (1/17/10), had eight carries for 14 yards as he was still hampered by a left knee injury. For his career, has 41 postseason carries which is good for 11th in postseason carries in club history.

2008:
* Nominated as one of the offensive team captains and started the first 12 games of the season before suffering a dislocated toe on Thanksgiving Day and led the team with 238 carries for 885 yards and seven touchdowns.
* Was 13th in the NFC and 21st in the NFL in rushing yards and tied for 16th in the NFC, tied for 28th in the league in scoring among non-kickers with 54 points.
* Rushed for 80 yards and two touchdowns - his 11th career multiple touchdown game - on 16 carries to go with three catches for 21 yards in the season-opening win at Cleveland (9/7).
* Added his 12th career multi-touchdown game with one rushing and one receiving in the home-opening win against Philadelphia (9/15). Finished the game with eight carries for 63 yards and a touchdown and four catches for 51 yards and one score. Also became the 11th club running back to reach 500 career carries.
* Rushed for a career-high 142 yards - his fifth career 100-yard game - on a career-high 28 carries with a touchdown - his third consecutive game with a rushing touchdown to tie the third-longest streak of his career - at Green Bay (9/21).
* Became the ninth Dallas running back to pass 2,500 career rushing yards with his 84 yards against Cincinnati (10/5).
* Led all Dallas pass catchers with a career-best 11 catches for a career-high 128 yards with a career-long 70-yard touchdown catch in the overtime loss at Arizona (10/12). His 128 receiving yards were the fourth-most by a Cowboys running back.
* Notched his second 100-yard performance of the season - sixth of his career - at St. Louis (10/19) with 100 yards on 18 carries (5.6 avg.) and one touchdown. Became the 10th running back in team history to record 600 attempts.
* Finished at Washington (11/16) with 24 carries for 114 yards - his third 100-yard outing of the season and seventh of his career - along with six catches for 39 yards. Ran nine times with three first downs and had one catch for another third down to help seal the win with just 1:00 remaining.
* Reached 3,000 career rushing yards - the ninth club running back to do so - with 59 yards and established a single-season career best recording his 215th carry of the season with his 19 attempts against San Francisco (11/23).
* Had 10 carries for 32 yards and one catch for 13 yards before leaving the game in the second quarter with a dislocated toe on Thanksgiving Day against Seattle (11/27). Attempted to return in the second half, but after one play, left the game and did not return. Managed to reach 702 carries for his career to become just the ninth rusher in club history with 700-or-more carries.
* Was inactive at Pittsburgh (12/7) with the toe injury but returned as a reserve against the N.Y. Giants (12/14) to the tune of eight carries for two yards, including a crucial third down conversion.
* Played just one series against Baltimore (12/20) - the final game at Texas Stadium - and finished with two carries for no yards and two catches for 24 yards.

2007:
* Led the team with career-highs for carries (204), rushing yards (975) and touchdowns (10 - second-most in his career) despite serving as a reserve through the regular season.
* Earned his first career Pro Bowl selection.
* Had at least one rushing touchdown in each of the first four games of the season - his second-career four-game streak.
* Tied for third in the league with a 4.8 yard-per-carry average and tied for third among non-kickers with 72 points.
* Recorded his seventh career multi-touchdown game at Miami (9/16), then his second career 100-yard game with 102 yards at Chicago (9/23).
* Had his third career 100-yard game with 103 against the N.Y. Jets (11/22).
* Logged his 10th career multi-touchdown game and his first career three-touchdown performance (two rushing, one receiving) at Detroit (12/9).
* Rushed for 110 yards - his fourth career 100-yard game - at Carolina (12/22).
* Earned his first start of the season and first career postseason start against the N.Y. Giants (1/13/08) and rushed for a career-high 129 yards on a career-high tying 27 carries.

2006:
* Finished with four multiple rushing touchdown games on the season.
* Scored his first touchdown of the season with a one-yard rush on fourth down against Washington (9/17) on Sunday night.
* Became the first Cowboys running back to score a touchdown in four straight games since 2000, when Smith did it in five straight games, with a rushing touchdown against Houston (10/15).
* Had two fourth quarter touchdowns - his third multiple-touchdown game of his career - to help seal the win at Carolina (10/29), then did it again with two more in the fourth quarter against previously undefeated Indianapolis (11/19).
* Rushed for a season-high 83 yards on a season-high 16 carries along with adding the first two receiving touchdowns of his career on Thanksgiving Day against Tampa Bay (11/23). It was the first time a Dallas back recorded two touchdown catches in a game since Preston Pearson against Chicago (10/24/76).

2005:
* Finished second on the team - fifth in the NFL among rookies - with 538 rushing yards while his five rushing touchdowns ranked fourth in the league among rookies.
* Made his NFL debut returning kickoffs at San Diego (9/11) and averaged 19.3 yards on three kickoffs.
* Was the third down back at Oakland (10/2) and got the first two carries of his career.
* Earned his first NFL start against Arizona (10/30) and led the team with 127 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries. It was the first 100-yard rushing game of the season for Dallas, and the two touchdowns were the first of his career.
* Scored two touchdowns against Detroit (11/20), his second two-touchdown game of the season and his third consecutive game with a touchdown.

COLLEGE:

* Gained 3,276 yards on 575 carries (5.7 yards-per-carry) and scored 35 touchdowns for Minnesota.
* Finished third in school history in career rushing yards (3,276) and 100-yard rushing games (14).
* Totaled 4,495 all-purpose yards and 35 rushing touchdowns, both ranked second in school history.
* Played just three years, having missed all but two games of his sophomore season before receiving a redshirt because of a chronic hamstring injury.
* As a junior earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors after rushing for 1,269 yards and 11 touchdowns.
* After recovering from a hamstring injury from a year earlier, rushed for 1,196 yards and 17 touchdowns to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors as a redshirt sophomore.
* Tied or broke several school records, including the records for rushing touchdowns in a season (17) and 100-yard rushing games (seven) in a season.
* Led the conference and finished seventh in the nation in punt-return average (14.5 yards-per-return).
* Was limited to two games with hamstring problems as a sophomore and earned an additional year of eligibility.
* As a true freshman, twice topped 100 rushing yards.
* Was the recipient of the Sheldon Douglas Endowed Scholarship at Minnesota.

PERSONAL:

* Marion Sylvester Barber III was a SuperPrep and PrepStar All-Midwest and consensus all-state selection as a senior running back and defensive back at Wayzata, Minn., High School, rushing for 1,778 yards and 18 touchdowns and had 10 interceptions.
* Was an honorable mention all-conference center fielder for the Wayzata baseball team.
* The son of Marion Barber Jr., who rushed for 3,235 yards and scored 34 touchdowns for the Golden Gophers (1977-80) before embarking on a seven-year (1983-88) NFL career with the N.Y. Jets.
* Majored in business marketing at Minnesota.

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