Cowboys Ex Marion Barber Death Result of Heat Stroke, Says Medical Report

Barber was just over a week from his 39th birthday when he passed.

FRISCO - The death of 38-year-old Marion Barber, former Dallas Cowboys running back, came as a result of heat stroke, according to a medical examiner report released on Monday.

Barber was discovered by police in his apartment in Frisco on June 1 underneath a running shower, and it is believed he was there for a number of days based on the decomposition level of body. The Collin Country medical examiner's office has ruled Barber's death to be accidental.

Frisco police arrived on the scene on that afternoon to perform a welfare check after a neighbor reported a water leak from Barber's apartment.

Barber, who was just over a week from his 39th birthday when he passed, is well-remembered for having engineered "The Greatest 2-Yard Run in NFL History'' as well as for his generous spirit, even as he struggled with mental health issues following his seven-year NFL career, prompting speculation as to whether CTE played a role in his challenges.

The Cowboys family continues to mourn the death of a running back with a signature style that the team described as "hard-nosed.''

Barber, as the Cowboys said, "ran with the will to win every down.''

Said Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells, who coached in Dallas: “He was almost like a perfect player.''

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