(NPR) – Former NFL running back Marion Barber has died at age 38, as police in Frisco, Texas, found his body in an apartment following a wellness check. Barber was a star running back for the Dallas Cowboys in the 2000s. A cause of death has not been announced.
Barber’s life after football was one of struggle, marked by concerns about his mental health and encounters with police in the Dallas metro area. Those mourning him include his former teammate Dez Bryant, who said last summer that he couldn’t enjoy watching archival highlights of Barber’s playing days, knowing the troubles he faced after his NFL career.
“RIP Marion Barber may God rest your soul,” Bryant said on Twitter. In a video, he urged athletes to look out for themselves, noting the deaths of former NFL players such as Demaryius Thomas and Vincent Jackson — who, like Barber, died in their 30s.
Frisco police were called to an apartment they believe Barber was leasing, a department representative told NPR. After officers entered, they found Barber’s body. An investigation into “an unattended death at the location” is now under way, in conjunction with the coroner’s office.
