Retired NFL star and TV commentator Tiki Barber and current girlfriend, Traci Lynn Johnson, felt compelled to sit-a-spell with "Entertainment Tonight" (ET) to dispel some of the negative press that has plagued them over the last few months.
Barber has been crucified by the media for reportedly having an affair with former NBC intern Johnson, 23, and leaving Ginny, his wife of 11 years, while she was pregnant with their twins. Barber denies the allegations and agreed to meet with "ET" hosts to let people see that he and his girlfriend aren't the villains that they have been made out to be.
"People who know us know that we're not bad people," Barber said. Traci Lynn added, "I just feel that now's the time to make sure the rumors that were said are false ... including that I was his babysitter or I was in the waiting room while Ginny was giving birth."
Although Ginny filed divorce papers at a Manhattan court back in April before she gave birth to the couple's twins and cited adultery as the grounds for the split, Barber insists that he did not cheat:
"We were only friends when I was still married,' Barber told ET. "I was separated, out of my house so it wasn't until then that we took things to the next level." The young blonde said, "Tiki and I were romantically involved when he was separated, and plenty of people who are separated have boyfriends and girlfriends."
Ginny gave birth to twins in May and the soon-to-be ex-couple are in the throes of a divorce settlement tug of war. Barber claims that his former college sweetheart is being very unreasonable with regards to support for herself and their children.
Barber's cozy ties with Johnson has cost his wallet to get walloped in huge ways. He got benched as an NBC Today Show correspondent after making a reported $300k a year. The former gridiron great's contract as a sports commentator on the network's NFL coverage was also not renewed when it expired earlier this year. Apparently, NBC has conduct clauses in their contracts, so in actuality, Barber brought about these casualities on himself. Barber's earnings took yet another hit when a well-known cycling fitness chain dropped him as their spokesperson. The company rendered his "celebrity worthless" after the former Giants star's alleged affair hit the fan.
Meanwhile, Barber and Johnson are now living together and remain positive about weathering the storm as a couple.
Watch the interview here: