Tiki Barber has another response amid feud with Saquon Barkley

New York Giants legend Tiki Barber was hosting his WFAN show when running back Saquon Barkley said via social media that Barber had "been a hater" after he repeatedly remarked that Barkley was "dead" to him for leaving the Giants to join the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency this offseason. 

Barber responded to Barkley's posts during the program. 

"I’ve been retired for 17 years, 18 years," Barber explained, according to Tom Rock of Newsday and Christian Arnold of the New York Post. "I am now in the media. The fact that my emotional reaction responding to you going to the Philadelphia Eagles, which, is by the way, the voice of a lot of Giants fans, I’d say the majority of Giants fans, and you are going to come back and talk about something from 17 years ago that you don’t even understand or are misrepresenting? That’s fine. Be that way."

Along with the "hater" comment, Barkley also sarcastically mentioned that Barber was "the prime example of loyalty to a team" during his career. Barkley added he "never turned my back on my teammates and always had theirs." 

Presumably, Barkley was referencing how Barber publicly criticized head coach Tom Coughlin and quarterback Eli Manning not long after the retired ball-carrier began working as an on-air personality back in 2007. Those Giants went on to win Super Bowl XLII in February 2008. 

"I like Saquon Barkley," Barber insisted during the "Evan and Tiki" show segment. "Saying 'dead to me' was basically tongue in cheek, but it is what it is. Get offended...I know what my legacy is with the New York Giants. I’m pretty sure I was a Giant for life." 

Barber featured for the Giants from 1997 to 2006 and never played for another club. According to ESPN, Barkley will officially join the Eagles after the new league year opens on Wednesday via a three-year, $37.75M contract that could be worth up to $46.75M with $26M fully guaranteed at signing. It's hardly a secret that Giants general manager Joe Schoen had little interest in giving any running back that kind of deal, let alone one who turned 27 years old in February and has a lengthy injury history. 

One wonders if Barkley and Barber will trade additional jabs throughout the offseason leading up to the first time that the Giants face the Eagles during the 2024 campaign.