1 of 2 | NBC correspondent and former NFL football player Tiki Barber speaks at an event to launch First Lady Michelle Obama's initiative "Let's Move," a campaign to combat the childhood obesity epidemic, in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington. File photo by Alexis C. Glenn/UPI |
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Former NFL stars Ronde and Tiki Barber will find themselves on the same team as the twins provide commentary for FOX Sports during the Oct. 1 clash between their respective former clubs, the New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The pairing of the two is believed to mark the first time in NFL history that twin brothers have called a league game for national broadcast television. The Barbers have shared the airwaves on SiriusXM Radio's "The Barber Shop" for several years and also played together collegiately at the University of Virginia.
The Barbers will join play-by-play announcer Kenny Albert and sideline reporter Kristina Pink to telecast the game between the franchises with which each spent their entire NFL careers. Ronde played cornerback for the Buccaneers from 1997-2012, while Tiki was a Giants running back from 1997-2006.
"I probably wouldn't want to be part of a three-man booth with too many people, but I'm happy to share the FOX booth with Tiki," Ronde said. "Tiki is a novice in terms of calling games, and there are so many different mechanics that go along with it. We have always shared our life experiences with each other, so he knows what he is getting into by virtue of me. He is very 'big-picture' and not myopic when it comes to football.
"Because of his history in New York and mine in Tampa, we will be able to offer a different perspective to these two markets and a global viewpoint on both teams to any viewer."
Perhaps not surprisingly, Tiki shares the same view.
"I am ecstatic to have the opportunity to join my brother, Ronde, and Kenny in the booth for the Giants/Bucs matchup," Tiki said. "Being a former Giant, and having lived in the New York/New Jersey area for the past 20 years, I look forward to bringing the viewers a different perspective.
"Ronde and I played against one another five times professionally, and it was always a lot of fun, I'm sure it will be the same with Kenny as our quarterback on Oct. 1 in Tampa."
