Former Golden Gophers Star Running Back Marion Barber III Dies At 38

FRISCO, TX —Former Wayzata High School, Minnesota Golden Gophers and Dallas Cowboys running back Marion Barber III was found dead on Wednesday in Texas, the Associated Press reported.

Barber, who was 38, reportedly was found by police in the Dallas suburb of Frisco after officers made a welfare check at his apartment. Officials have not released a cause of death.

According to the AP, Barber had issues with mental health after his career.

After leading Wayzata High to the Class AAAAA state tournament in 2000, Barber starred for the Gophers. The Plymouth native rushed for 3,276 yards and 35 touchdowns in his University of Minnesota football career, and he currently ranks fifth in school history in rushing yards.

In 2003 and 2004, Barber and Laurence Maroney were the first pair of college teammates to each rush for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons.

Barber's father Marion Barber Jr. played for the Gophers, as did Marion Barber III's younger brothers, Dom Barber and Thomas Barber.

The Minnesota football program released a statement on Twitter Wednesday night:

"Our hearts are absolutely broken, as we lost one of the greatest to ever wear the Maroon and Gold today. Our thoughts are with the amazing Barber family during this tragic time," the football program said in its statement.

Barber was a fourth-round draft pick of the Cowboys in 2005. He played seven seasons for Dallas, and his 47 career touchdowns for the Cowboys rank him fourth on the team's all-time list.

In 2007, Barber rushed for a career-high 975 yards and scored 10 touchdowns. He made the NFL Pro Bowl that season.

The Cowboys also released a statement on Twitter Monday:

"We are heartbroken by the tragic death of Marion Barber III," The statement read. "Marion was an old-school, hard-nosed football player who ran with the will to win every down. He had a passion for the game and love for his coaches and teammates. Our hearts go out to Marion's family and friends during this difficult time."

Barber finished out his NFL career in 2011 with the Chicago Bears.

The AP reported that three years after Barber retired, he was detained and taken to the hospital for a mental health evaluation. Police in the Dallas suburb of Mansfield said it was not clear what led to the calls that prompted their response, according to the AP.