Shurmur trying to mend fences between Giants, Tiki Barber

In an effort to repair the tattered relationship between the New York Giants and one of its all-time great players, first-year head coach Pat Shurmur reached out to former running back Tiki Barber earlier in the offseason.

"When he called me out of the blue, it was shocking in a sense but it was welcome," Barber told Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. "We had a great conversation. I was taken by how calm he is and how measured and thoughtful he is, which resonates really well with me, because that's how I am."

Barber spent all 10 seasons of his NFL career with the Giants, but wasn't always known as the most popular person in the organization. The relationship between Barber and Giants worsened post-retirement, when Barber would criticize the franchise and coach Tom Coughlin while working for NBC.

"I wasn't here for all that," Shurmur said of the turmoil. "I'm walking into this thing with fresh eyes. He was an outstanding player. I remember he found a way, he kind of had the fumbling thing going and he found a way to fix it, which I was impressed by."

Shurmur, who's made a conscious effort to reach out to former Giants players since his hiring, spoke with Barber over the phone for about 20 minutes.

Barber made three Pro Bowls with the Giants, and was one of the game's premier three-down tailbacks throughout his career. He retired following the 2006 season after rushing for 1,662 yards.

"I appreciate the fact he cared to reach out," Barber, now 43 years of age, said. "It was kind of cool. Like a new relationship that was developing and I'm looking forward to furthering it."

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