Tiki Barber sounds off on Austin Ekeler’s ‘discouraging’ comments

After seven seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, running back Austin Ekeler signed with the Washington Commanders in the offseason. Tiki Barber, a former All-Pro running back with the New York Giants and current WFAN host, shared some feelings on Ekeler’s reason for leaving the Chargers.

In a conversation with host Shaun Morash on Evan and Tiki, Barber cited Ekeler’s recent comments to Kay Adams on Up & Adams regarding leaving the Chargers.

“Austin Ekeler said something the other day, which was so discouraging,” Barber said. “He was asked about why the Jim Harbaugh-led Chargers weren’t ideal for him — or why they moved on from him. And you know what his answer was? ‘They want a guy who can run the ball 300 times a season.’ They want someone who can run the ball 300 times a season.”

Morash clarified, “So, in other words, Ekeler was saying he can’t do that?”

“Yes,” Barber replied. “Go look at how many times I ran the ball 300 times a season.”

“That’s a tough thing for Ekeler to say when he’s the one waiving for how much money he wants long term,” Morash said. “You want to be a bell cow or not?”

“Be on the field all the time. Don’t be a liability on third down. Catch the ball out of the backfield. Truck it through the offensive line 25 times a game. That’s what Christian McCaffrey does. That dude has so many 100% participation games, it makes no damn sense. I never had a 100% participation game, that is play every snap. I’ve never done that. Christian McCaffrey has done it like 8 times.

“You got the Christian McCaffreys of the world, who make $19 million a year. And then you’ve got these other guys who can’t make eight. And you wonder why. The mentality has changed from an organization standpoint.”

[Up & Adams on X, Photo/Video Credit: WFAN]