There’s nothing like the love and friendly rivalry of siblings. Not only do you have a built-in best friend who will always care for you, but you also have someone that will challenge you to be your very best. The bond is even deeper when you’re a twin and there are just some things people outside of the twindom won’t understand. It’s extremely rare for a set of twins to pursue similar aspirations and have both excel. Join me as we shine a historical spotlight on Rondé and Tiki Barber, twin brothers who used their individual strengths to build legacies in the NFL.
Rondé and Tiki are identical twins and were born five weeks premature in Roanoke, Virginia on April 7, 1975 to their parents Geraldine and James Barber. Rondé is seven minutes older and they have an older brother named Tarik. Their father played in the World Football League but didn’t make time to see his sons or financially support their mother, who oftentimes had to work multiple jobs to support them on her own.
Choosing not to let their father’s absence taint them, they leaned into their interest in playing football. They both attended and graduated from Cave Spring High School in 1993. In high school, Rondé was a three-time All-District selection in football, won a national title in the 55-meter hurdles, and racked up four Group AAA titles in indoor and outdoor hurdling.
They both stayed relatively close to home by attending the University of Virginia. Tiki played running back and rushed for more than 1,300 yards in both of his junior and senior seasons. He was named ACC Player of the Year in 1996 and finished his collegiate career with 651 carries for 3,389 yards and 31 touchdowns, and 64 receptions for 602 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Rondé played defense as a cornerback and was also a kick returner for the team. He was recognized as the ACC Freshman of the Year and he earned first-team All-ACC honors for all three seasons he was in college. With the strong offensive and defensive output from both brothers, the University of Virginia won the 1994 Independence Bowl, the 1995 Peach Bowl, and the 1995 ACC title.
After successful stints in college, both brothers declared for the 1997 NFL draft. Even though Rondé could’ve played another year in college, he chose to forgo it and became only the third player from the University of Virginia to enter the draft early. He was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round while Tiki was selected by the New York Giants in the second round. They were the fourth set of twins in NFL history to be selected in the same draft.
As a rookie, Rondé played in only one game but saw more reps during his second and third seasons. He moved up the rotation to eventually start in all 16 games and went from having just 3 tackles to recording 82 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery during his fourth season.
He became an integral part of the Buccaneers’ defense and signed a six-year, $20.25 million contract extension on April 9, 2001. During the 2001 season, he had 71 tackles, 1 sack, 14 passes deflected, 10 interceptions, 1 defensive touchdown, and was selected to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams for the first time in his career.
He was part of the reason why the 2002 Tampa Bay secondary was ranked first in total defense. The team was so dominant that it defeated the Oakland Raiders 48-21 to win Super Bowl XXXVII (37), giving Rondé his first Super Bowl victory.
Over the next four seasons, he had at least 97 tackles and at least 2 interceptions each year. He made his second, third, and fourth Pro Bowl appearances and earned first-team All-Pro honors during this spurt.
Rondé was the first player in Buccaneers history to return two interceptions for touchdowns in a single regular-season game. He was named a defensive captain before the 2007 season and broke the record for the most interceptions in team history by catching 32. He made his fifth Pro Bowl appearance with the 2009 Pro Bowl.
2009 was the first season since his rookie year that he didn’t catch an interception, but his tackling, sacks, passes deflected, and crucial plays on special teams stayed strong. In recognition of his consistency and dominance, he was named to the NFL’s 2000s All-Decade Team.
In 2012, he switched from cornerback to free safety and started all 16 games for the 13th straight season. He didn’t miss a beat in his new position, recording 91 tackles, 13 passes defended, 4 interceptions, and 1 forced fumble. On May 8, 2013, he announced his retirement, leaving the game as the active leader in defensive touchdowns with 14. He was the last active player on the Buccaneers’ roster from the Super Bowl XXXVII (37) championship team.
Rondé holds the record for the most consecutive starts by a cornerback. He is also the first and only player in NFL history to record at least 45 interceptions and 25 sacks in his career. After his retirement, he joined Fox Sports as an NFL color analyst and has since launched an internet show and podcast called “The Rondé Barber Show”.
He’s been married since 2001 and the couple has two daughters. He is a member of the Buccaneers’ Ring of Honor and entered the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2014. Rondé was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023.
Tiki entered the league as a ‘change-of-pace’ running back, but Rodney Hampton’s retirement created an opportunity for him to take on a larger role with the Giants. He initially rushed for 511 yards and three touchdowns but struggled with persistent injuries that impacted his playing minutes through his first two years in the league. He began making greater contributions as a runner, receiver, and punt returner in 1999.
After finally hitting his stride and putting up commendable numbers, Tiki helped the Giants reach Super Bowl XXXV (35) in 2001, where they fell to the Baltimore Ravens. Following the season, Tiki signed a six-year contract that solidified his place in the organization. With each passing game, he became more of an integral part of the Giants’ offense and he performed well against leading defenses in high pressure situations.
During the 2004 season, he scored 15 touchdowns and recorded 2,096 total yards from scrimmage. The very next season, he exploded and had 1,860 rushing yards and 2,390 all-purpose yards. He set a Giants franchise record with his longest touchdown run, recorded the second-highest single-season total yardage in NFL history at the time, and set a record for the most yards by a running back aged 30 or older.
In October 2006, Tiki announced that he would retire at the end of the season. He gave his final games his all and continued playing to an extremely high level. His fans and even some of his teammates questioned why he wanted to retire while performing at such a high level. Tiki explained that he could no longer endure the physical toll of the game. He finished the season with 1,662 rushing yards and five touchdowns, setting a record for the most rushing yards by a running back in his final NFL season.
He has the record for the most 200-yard rushing games by a player over 30 years old with four. He also has the single game rushing record for a player over 30 with 234 rushing yards. Even though he never won a Super Bowl, Tiki earned three Pro Bowl selections and was named a First-Team All Pro. He joined the Giants’ Ring of Honor, was ranked the 14th-greatest New York Giant of all time, and, as of 2018, held at least 22 Giants franchise records.
Tiki is the only player in NFL history to surpass 10,000 rushing yards, 5,000 receiving yards, and 1,000 return yards. He was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.
After hanging up his cleats, he pursued a career in broadcasting, but unlike other retired athletes who preferred to cover the game they loved, he covered political and hard news stories instead. He initially landed with NBC and had segments on the Today show, covered sports for NBC Sports, and hosted entertainment events for NBC Universal. He’s also had opportunities to cover the 2008 Summer Olympics, the 2010 Winter Olympics, and Sunday Night Football.
Tiki married his college girlfriend on May 15, 1999 and had two sons and a set of twin daughters together. The couple separated after 11 years of marriage and their divorce was finalized in 2012. Tiki later remarried, and he and his second wife welcomed two daughters.
The brothers were used to competing against each other as they grew up and that rivalry continued even after they became NFL stars. Whenever they faced off on the field, it became a family affair since everyone watched to see which brother would secure the victory. The University of Virginia has retired Tiki’s No. 21 jersey and Rondé’s No. 19 jersey. The brothers also co-wrote nine illustrated children’s books published between 2004 to 2012.
Despite being identical twins who played the same sport, Rondé and Tiki followed separate paths to become legends. From an early age, they played different positions that showcased their individual strengths and eventually found organizations that supported them in reaching their full potential. They both broke records and left a lasting impact on the game of football.
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Signed,
Jessica Marie
