Shawn Barber

Infobox NFLactive


name=Shawn Barber
currentteam=Free Agent
currentnumber=--
currentposition=Linebacker
birthdate=birth date and age|1975|1|14
birthplace=Richmond, Virginia
heightft=6
heightin=2
weight=240
debutyear=1998
debutteam=Washington Redskins
college=Richmond
draftyear=1998
draftround=4
draftpick=113
pastteams=
* Washington Redskins (1998-2001)
* Philadelphia Eagles (2002)
* Kansas City Chiefs (2003-2005)
* Philadelphia Eagles (2006)
* Houston Texans (2007)
status=
nfl=BAR094541

Shawn William Barber (born January 14, 1975 in Richmond, Virginia) is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He played college football at Richmond.

Early years

Barber was an all-district and all-region player as a safety at Hermitage High School in Richmond. Despite not playing football until he was a junior, he returned three interceptions for touchdowns and averaged over 20.0 yards per catch as a senior. He also earned all-district honors in basketball and lettered once in track.

College career

Barber began his collegiate career at the University of Richmond as a safety but was moved to linebacker in his sophomore year. As a junior, Barber was an All-American honorable mention by the Associated Press and an all-Yankee Conference first-team selection. He recorded 94 total tackles (56 solo), six sacks, 13 tackles for a loss, and a forced fumble en route to becoming the Atlantic 10 Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 1997 as a senior. He also added three interceptions and on special teams he blocked two kicks. In his four seasons at Richmond, Barber played in a total of 44 games with 33 starts and totaled 305 tackles, 20 sacks, 30 tackles for a loss, and five interceptions.

Professional career

Barber was drafted in the 1998 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. In 1998, Barber saw duty in 16 games (one start) for the Redskins, amassing 34 tackles (28 solo), one interception, two passes defensed and a forced fumble. Also added a team-high 15 special teams tackles. During the 1999 season, he opened all 16 Redskins games for the first time in his career and totaled a career-high 148 tackles, 1 sack, five passes defensed, three forced fumbles and eight special teams tackles. He also added two INTs for 70 yards with a touchdown. In 2000, Barber started 14 games for Redskins and was inactive for two games. That season he registered 82 tackles, 2.0 sacks, two fumble recoveries and two special teams tackles. His last year as a Redskin was 2002. While he was a Redskin he appeared in 49 games (34 starts), amassing 281 tackles, 3 sacks, three interceptions with one touchdown, two fumble recoveries, four forced fumbles and added 25 special teams tackles. While he was there, he started two playoff games in 1999, amassing 16 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble.

Barber's first season with the Philadelphia Eagles was in 2002. He started all 16 games as a linebacker and produced 119 tackles, 1 sack, two interceptions, including a career-long 80-yard touchdown, a career-high three fumble recoveries, one forced fumble, and seven passes defensed.

In 2003, Barber was then signed by the Kansas City Chiefs, as an unrestricted free agent where he started 16 games. He ranked second on the team with 141 tackles, was tied for second on the team with a career-high 5.0 sacks and had two forced fumbles, one INT, and five passes defensed. He started his first game in a Chiefs uniform vs. San Diego (9/7), recording seven tackles and a team-high two passes defensed. During the 2004 season, he started the season’s first eight games at linebacker and finished with 42 tackles and a sack, as well as five passes defensed, a forced fumble, two QB pressures and an INT. In 2005, he only played three games for the Chiefs. Due to salary cap issues, the Chiefs released him and he was once more signed by the Eagles to a one-year deal on March 8, 2006. On March 19, 2007 he signed with the Houston Texans.