Former Dallas Cowboys rider Marion Barber III was found dead in her Frisco apartment Wednesday, the team confirmed.
The team told NBC 5 that Barber, 38, did not respond.
In a statement released late Wednesday afternoon, the team said it was “heartbroken” by its tragic death.
Frisco police said Wednesday afternoon at 2:40 a.m. officers responded to a call about a welfare issue in an apartment on the 9400 block of Stratton Drive that was believed to be rented by Barber.
Police describe the investigation as an unsupervised death.
Barber, who turned 39 on June 10, was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round in 2005 and spent six seasons in North Texas, where his hard-hitting and punishing style earned him the nickname. of “Marion the Barbarian”.
We are heartbroken by the tragic death of Marion Barber III. Marion was a tough old school football player who ran with the will to win every problem. He had a passion for the game and a love for his coaches and teammates. Our heart is with Mariona’s family and friends during this difficult time.
Dallas Cowboys
After leaving Dallas, Barber would spend a year with the Chicago Bears before retiring from professional football and returning to North Texas.
Throughout his NFL career, Barber ran 4,780 yards on 1,156 attempts, averaging 4.1 yards per attempt, and scored 53 touchdowns on the ground. As a receiver, he caught 179 passes for 1,330 yards with six touchdowns.
Barber is the older brother of former Houston Texans security guard Dominique Barber and former Minnesota Golden Gophers linebacker Thomas Barber. They are the children of former NFL player Marion Barber Jr.
Barber was also known for his humanitarian efforts, working with his foundation and donating to his community.
Joe Krywalski, a friend of Barber’s, told NBC 5 on Wednesday that Barber was a great person and very generous. He said Barber was religious, played the piano, and wanted to get into boxing.
Over the years, Barber has had several minor clashes with the law and just last month did not oppose two 2018 charges of criminal abuse after damaging two vehicles in separate incidents while jogging Frisco. In 2014, while living in Mansfield, Barber was taken for a mental assessment after an altercation outside a restaurant in which a car was damaged.
Billy Clark was his lawyer and more. “For me, it was literally a family and I’m so lost that I’m not ready for it,” Clark told NBC 5.
Clark says Barber wanted to write a book about his life and what football and family meant to him.
He said Barber was also training to become a boxer.
“I was in great shape, so when I tell you I’m lost, I’m lost,” Clark said.
The Collin County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the cause of Barber’s death.
NBC 5’s Meredith Yeomans contributed to this report.