Former Dallas Cowboys Running Back Marion Barber III Dies At 38

The former Chicago Bears running back Marion Barber III was found dead at his apartment on June 1, 2022.

The official came to check after a neighbor complained of a water leak from his apartment and no one was able to contact him –which was unusual, as he used to frequently be seen everywhere around the building.

The Cause Of Death

The Collin County (Texas) Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the 38-year-old athlete died due to heat stroke – the Frisco Police Department confirmed.

According to Medical Examiner, Dr. William B. Rohr, Marion Barber died while exercising as the exercising equipment was present in the area, as the heat on the thermostat was set to 91 degrees. He added that “Mr. Barber was known to exercise in sauna-like conditions”.

Following his death, both of the teams, The Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears released statements via Twitter.

The following statement by The Dallas Cowboys said “We are heartbroken by the tragic death of Marion Barber III. Marion was an old-school, hard-nosed football player who ran with the will to win every down.

He had a passion for the game and a love for his coaches and teammates. Our hearts go out to Marion’s family and friends during this difficult time”.

Chicago Bears’ statement followed as: “We are saddened to learn the passing of former Bears RB Marion  Barber III. Our hearts go out to his family and friends.”

His several former teammates also tweeted, as they mourned his death. Former teammate Terrell Owens tweeted that “Man I am so heartbroken. Damn MB.

Been holding it in since I got the news earlier today. Man #24!! This hurts. 1X24 Rest In Peace  #Cowboys @24marionbarber @San Fransciso, California.”

Marion Barber was known for his physical running style and churning his lugs to pick up extra yards after contact as well as often breaking tackles.

During his college, he played for the Minnesota Golden Gophers, where he ranked 4th in the college’s all-time rushing list with 3,276 yards and second with 4,4495 all-purpose yards. With 35 touchdowns, he became second, also one better than his father.

In 2005, the Dallas Cowboys selected him during the fourth round of the NFL draft. His stats such as 95 yards running against Seattle, and 127 yards against Arizona, solidified his position as the backup running for the Cowboys. 

After a year, he became excellent as a third-down rusher and red-zone running back. During the 2006 season, he led the NFC with 14 rushing touchdowns and was named the first non-placekicker to lead the cowboys in scoring since 2000. 

He became a starter for the Cowboys in 2008. At the same time, ‌management was worried about his career longevity due to his running style in the game.

As he aged his yards per carry dropped‌.  In 2009, his success on the field was limited by injuries.

He had the worst season of 2010 as he struggled with injuries which led to limited game time. He recorded his lowest stats during the time as he rushed for 374 yards on 113 carries as well as only four rushing downs, during the entire season.

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After The Dallas Cowboys released Brber on July 28, 2011, Chicago Bears signed a two-year deal with the Barber for a $5 million contract. In the initial weeks, he was out due to injury.

In midweek against Denver Broncos, he scored a touchdown and had his first 100-yard game since 2009. Though Broncos won the game as he ran out of bounds, allowing the Broncos to overtake them 

He announced his retirement on March 23, 2012