New York Giants Legend Tiki Barber 'Thought It Was Bad' When He Turned 50 But Feels 'Fantastic' at 51: 'I'm Just Getting Wiser, Not Older'

Tiki Barber is embracing his 50s — and he says life only keeps getting better.

“I feel fantastic. I thought it was bad when I hit 50. It’s even better when I hit 51, though,” the former New York Giants running back exclusively tells OK! while dishing on his latest partnership with New Jersey Lottery. "I tell people I’m just getting wiser, not older. I stay in great shape to play with my young kids and live as full of life as I can."

Looking back, Barber admits his perspective on aging has shifted significantly over time.

“I think you realize that as long as you take care of yourself and you surround yourself with people who love you, age is just a chance to engage and grow and learn some more about life,” he explains. “Especially after you have a family and you see them growing up behind you, it’s really fulfilling. When I was younger, I might have taken it for granted and years just passed by. But now, every year means something, so I want to be as fulfilled as I can each year.”

These days, much of that fulfillment comes from watching his children thrive.

“It’s a couple of things,” Barber shares of what motivates him now. “I have young girls who are in cheer, and cheer has taken over me and Tracy, my wife’s life. But I also have older kids. My oldest is 23 — he’s working in the city in investment banking. My youngest is getting ready to graduate from Brown — he’s going to go work in investment banking. My twins are running track. So it’s seeing the growth of all of my kids and my family.”

“I feel so proud having had success in my life, but now getting to watch them have some success as well,” he adds.

Barber also carries lessons from his NFL days into this chapter of life — particularly the importance of loyalty and community.

“When I first got to the Giants, the Mara family used to always say ‘family made football,’” he recalls. “You hear it when you’re 25 or 26 years old, and it means something, but it means more when it comes back around full circle.”

Now, decades after retiring, Barber has reconnected with the organization in a new way.

“I’m back working with the Giants doing their pre- and postgame, and all the people in the organization are the same,” he says. “I see these people who I’ve known for my whole adult life, and now I’m colleagues with them. It’s like I’m rejoining a family. There’s something special about that.”

As for the current state of the franchise, Barber agrees with Jameis Winston — who exclusively told OK! at Netflix’s 2026 MLB Opening Night last month that “the time is now” for the team to turn things around.

“I do agree with what he meant — that the time is now to turn the Giants around,” Barber declares. “I think the turnaround actually started last year. You saw it in how they played, how they stayed together throughout some of the bad times. They were this close.”

With changes underway, Barber is optimistic about what’s ahead.

“With a new head coach and a new staff, and some new faces, the energy is real and the competency is real,” he notes. “As long as the talent stays healthy and keeps growing together, I think the sky can be the limit.”

Off the field, Barber is continuing to connect with fans in a different way — most recently partnering with the New Jersey Lottery for a unique event.

The former All-Pro joined the New Jersey Lottery at American Dream to kick off the second annual Rock Paper Scissors Throwdown, a three-day tournament featuring nearly 400 competitors and a $25,000 prize pool.

“This is fun for me,” Barber says of the partnership. “One, I’m a New Jersey resident, and I’m in the New Jersey Hall of Fame, which is here at American Dream. Coming to this venue and doing a fun game like this, where people get an actual chance to win some money — it’s just fun.”

“It’s an engaging way on a spring break weekend to have some fun and to engage with a lot of great fans,” he continues. “This tournament has 350-plus competitors, and it’s going to be awesome. It’s going to be engaging. It’s going to be just as intense — like I was up there winning and losing against the contestants.”