While at Rice, Barnes helped start the Black Student Union and was part of a movement to pressure the university to hire more African-American teachers and coaches.[2] His protests were well-known on campus and garnered him a reputation for troublemaking.[1]
In 2011, he was inducted into the Rice Athletic Hall of Fame.[3]
Professional career
Dallas Cowboys
He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the seventh round (176th overall) of the 1973 NFL Draft, after he dropped because teams were cautious of his civil rights activism.[1] His athletic ability and production propelled him to become the second African-Americanlinebacker to make the team in franchise history (Ralph Coleman was the first).[citation needed]
Barnes could play all three linebacker positions, but he mainly competed for the middle linebacker position against Lee Roy Jordan and was a core special teams player. His best moments came in the 1973 preseason; against the Miami Dolphins, he helped stop Larry Csonka three times in a row, during a 2-yard goal-line stand and against the Kansas City Chiefs, he had 11 tackles (3 for loss) and hit backup quarterback Dean Carlson to the sidelines under the bench, which the referees thought Carlson was out of the playing field and flagged Barnes with a 15-yard personal foul penalty.[4]
In March 1974, he was selected by the Florida Blazers in the 13th round (145th overall) of the WFL Pro Draft. His relationship with the Cowboys also started to deteriorate,[5] with his growing belief that racial reasons were the main cause of him remaining in a reserve role.[1] In October, he left training camp in a disagreement over playing time and salary, while also informing the team that at the recommendation of his personal doctor he was going to have knee surgery for an injury suffered in the last game of 1973.[citation needed] He eventually was released on November 11.[6]
Barnes retired in 1977, in part due to the numerous injuries he had sustained over his career.[1][2]
Personal life and death
After his NFL retirement, Barnes went back to school to get a master's degree in education.[1] He worked as a high school assistant principal at the Garland Alternative Education Center in the Dallas area.[2]
Barnes died in Dallas on May 16, 2023, at the age of 73.[11]