LOOK: Tony Romo releases heartfelt message on former Cowboys teammate Marion Barber's passing
During some tremendous seasons for the Cowboys, it was Tony Romo and Marion Barber III leading the Dallas offense. Over their time together, the duo led the franchise to two NFC East title, including a 13-3 season where the Cowboys captured the No. 1 seed in the entire NFC.
Their success is celebrated, but Romo is mourning Barber after the loss of his partner for multiple seasons. Last week, it was announced that the former Cowboys running back had passed away at the age of 38, breaking the hearts of football fans everywhere.
On Sunday, Romo released a written statement on Twitter regarding his former teammate, and it’s evident he had immense admiration for Barber.
“Marion Barber Ill. The thoughts and prayers of the Romo family go out to MB Ill and his entire family,” wrote Romo. “Cowboy fans will never forget his aggressive running style and shear energy he brought every time he was on the field. He could run, block, catch, and he would do all the dirty work and ask for more. It was a pleasure playing alongside him.
“But the Marion I will never forget was a young man that had a megawatt smile that could turn your day around in an instant. His huge heart, and presence were felt the moment he walked through the door. He could bring the whole locker room together in an Instant. loved being around Marion. His demeanor and spirit affected and touched more people than he ever realized. I was definitely one of those people.
“RIP Marion Barber Ill.”
Tony Romo and Marion Barber III shared an unbreakable bond, and they’ll forever be teammates. The impact the running back had on his teammates extends far beyond the field, and his loss has been felt deeply by everyone who played with and against him.
More on Marion Barber III, heartbreaking death
Determining the cause of death for 38-year-old former Dallas Cowboy Marion Barber will not be easy, according to Barber’s father, Marion Barber II. Barber’s body had begun decomposing when welfare checkers found him in the bathroom of his apartment. His body may have been there for several days with the hot shower running, according to reporting from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
The elder Barber shared that the coroner’s office hopes to have more information by Sunday and the authorities are not currently suspicious of foul play.
“They are just using tissue as they dig further into the cause of death,” Barber II said. “They are ruling out things. They haven’t seen any trauma, no foul substances in his body. His lungs were in working order. The heart and veins around the heart were good. They are ruling things out. Right now, we are just waiting.”
The Barber family is planning the memorial service for the former Cowboys running back for June 22 in Minneapolis, though the time and site are still TBD.
Despite several instances of hospitalization for Marion Barber due to mental health, the family will not opt to donate his brain for CTE research. There will be no extensive autopsy, according to his wishes.
“He was real specific in his will that he didn’t want that,” Barber II said. “We are going to respect that. But in the condition his body was in, according to the examiner, that probably would have been a moot point because of the decomposition.”