Giants great Tiki Barber is joining NBC Sports and NBC News, the network will announce today.
The telegenic Barber, 31, will become a correspondent for the “Today” show and will “have a role” on NBC’s NFL telecasts, insiders say.
He will not co-host the planned fourth hour of the “Today” show as had been speculated, sources said.
NBC televises a prime-time game every Sunday of the NFL’s regular season, although it wasn’t immediately clear yesterday what role Barber will play in that coverage.
Barber retired as the all-time-leading rusher in Big Blue’s history, amassing nearly 10,500 yards, and is the 17th-leading rusher in NFL history.
Barber announced last year that the 2006 season would be his last, and he made no secret of his plans to pursue a TV career.
He was being heavily wooed by several networks, including ABC News (for “Good Morning America”) and its sister network ESPN and Fox.
Last year, Barber guest-hosted Fox News Channel’s morning show, “Fox & Friends.”
It had been reported that ABC’s offer was $10 million over four years. He took less money to join NBC, sources say. NBC was to announce his hiring in a press conference this morning.
When the grid great announced his retirement plans this past fall, it touched off a bidding war for Barber’s TV good looks and well-spoken wit.
The running back’s gift for gab has made him the face of the Giants franchise, particularly in recent years with the retirement of pretty boy Jason Sehorn and the declining role of injury-plagued Michael Strahan.
Barber has never shied away from speaking his mind, as exemplified this past season with his public criticism of Giants coach Tom Coughlin.
His 10-year career was spent entirely with Big Blue, after coming from the University of Virginia.
Barber was a star player in college, too, playing alongside his twin brother, Ronde Barber, now a Tampa Bay Buccaneer.
Additional reporting by David K. Li