NEW YORK, NY – The NFL’s most famous and accomplished twins, standouts Rondé and Tiki Barber, will be teammates once again, reuniting on FOX Sports to call the Oct. 1 New York Giants at Tampa Bay Buccaneers game (1:00 PM ET).
The game, pitting their former teams (Giants – Tiki; Bucs – Rondé) against each other, is believed to be the first time twin brothers have called an NFL game for national broadcast television. They join Rondé’s FOX NFL boothmate, play-by-play announcer Kenny Albert, and sideline reporter Kristina Pink to telecast the battle between the franchises at which each spent their entire NFL playing careers. Rondé played cornerback for the Bucs from 1997 through 2012, while Tiki was a Giants running back from 1997 to 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,” Rondé 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.”
Rondé has served as a FOX NFL analyst since 2013, while Tiki co-hosts “Tiki and Tierney” on CBS Sports Radio. In their first joint broadcasting project, the Barbers shared the airwaves on SiriusXM Radio’s “The Barber Shop” for several years. The duo, who played together at the University of Virginia and were roommates throughout college, appeared on FOX’s CELEBRITY MASTER CHEF in October 2016 and have co-written several children’s books.
“Rarely does a TV network have the chance to broadcast a game from the perspective Rondé and Tiki Barber will provide FOX Sports,” said John Entz, FOX Sports President of Production and Executive Producer. “It is always beneficial to have an analyst who played for one of the teams on the field, but to have both teams represented in the TV booth, by twin brothers, will be truly unique. Both men are sharp and astute on their own, so when they are paired alongside Kenny Albert, it will be intriguing to watch them play off of each other.”
“I am ecstatic to have the opportunity to join my brother, Rondé, and Kenny (Albert) 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. Rondé 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.”
Selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the 66th overall pick in the 1997 NFL Draft, Rondé quickly became one of the most consistent cornerbacks in the league and was selected to five Pro Bowls (2001, 2004-2006 and 2008). He earned three first-team All-Pro (2001, 2004 and 2005) and two second-team All-Pro selections (2002 and 2006). Rondé was named to the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team and played in every game from 2000-’12. He led the NFL in interceptions (10) in 2001 and remains the Buccaneers’ all-time interceptions leader (47) and only member of the “40/20 club” (40+ interceptions, 20+ quarterback sacks). The biggest achievement of his career, however, came during the 2002 season when he helped Tampa Bay defeat the Oakland Raiders to win Super Bowl XXXVII.
Drafted by the New York Giants as the 36th overall selection in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft, Tiki spent his entire 10-year career with the franchise and is a member of the New York Giants Ring of Honor. He was named to three Pro Bowls (2004-2006) and earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2005. As a Giants running back, Tiki amassed 10,449 career rushing yards and averaged 4.7 yards per carry. He is credited with 55 rushing touchdowns, 586 receptions, 5,183 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns.
Tiki played in Super Bowl XXXV against the Baltimore Ravens and set numerous franchise records during his tenure. Additionally, he was the NFL’s top yardage gainer from the line of scrimmage from 2003-2006. While at the University of Virginia, Tiki was honored as the ACC Player of the Year in 1996.
Source: FOX Sports
