Tiki Barber, freshly-retired NFL star running back and self-professed prince-in-training of the New York media scene, is set to publish his autobiography — at the ripe age of 31. The lucky publisher? Simon Spotlight Entertainment, an imprint of the same Simon & Schuster that publishes the youth sports books penned by Tiki and unretired brother Ronde of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

FishbowlNY spoke with his editor, Tricia Boczkowski, to get Tiki's backfield pitch (sorry). In addition to cataloging his impressive football achievments, the upcoming book will "absolutely" extend to Tiki's blossoming media career and aspirations, his various other "off-the-field passions" and the post-NFL challenges ahead.

Apparently, the fact that Tiki's retiring at the top of his game is not the only draw this book should have for readers. According to Boczkowski, although there are other books by NFL-ers "like T.O. [Terrell Owens]" and others, "the difference here is that Tiki is really smart. You could call him the thinking man's football player." Accordingly, this will stand out from the rest as "the thinking man's football book."

No offense to T.O. and all those other non-thinking football players, of course.

The book is due September 18.

— Emily Million

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