Antonio Pierce says teams looking at Tiki Barber shouldn’t expect his former teammate to be a leader.
“Tiki Barber, the football player, great player, will be very productive probably in certain situations,” Pierce said on NFL Live Tuesday via ESPNNewYork.com. “Tiki Barber, the leader, the person in that locker room? He is not going to do anything for your team. Now if that is the guy you think you are bringing in, you might want to look in another direction.”
Pierce was hardly the only Giants teammate of Barber -- especially on the defensive side -- to have a problem with the running back. He raises a fair point.
At his age, Barber would be a role player. Backup running backs that don’t play special teams need to offer some extra value -- like leadership. Pierce doesn’t think that will happen.
“From personal experience, he didn’t do anything to help the Giants [in] 2006 when he decided to retire in the middle of the season and then months later question our quarterback and our head coach,” Pierce said. “That is my problem with Tiki Barber ... the guy can play. Can he do it four years later? I don’t think he can.”