Video: Tiki Barber, Intern Deny Dating During His Marriage

Tiki Barber and girlfriend Traci Lynn Johnson

*Former “Today” host Tiki Barber and Traci Lynn Johnson, the one-time NBC intern accused of breaking up the NFL vet’s marriage to his pregnant wife, sat down with “Entertainment Tonight” to deny rumors that their relationship began before his divorce.

“It’s hard, because everything is so skewed by the coverage, and by the perception,” said Barber, who was rumored to have left his 11-year marriage to wife Ginny because of an affair with Johnson – a report both claim is not true.

Johnson, 23, added, “I just feel that now is the time to just make sure the rumors that were said are revealed as false.”

The ex New York Giant claims he and Traci were simply friends during his marriage.

“We were only friends when I was still married, I was separated, out of my house so it wasn’t until then that we took things to the next level,” he described.

She continued: “Tiki and I were romantically involved when he was separated, and plenty of people who are separated have boyfriends and girlfriends.”

Tiki hopes to keep things normal for his children. “My goal is to not have the kids suffer because of the failings of mine and my soon to be ex-wife.”

“I’m just a normal guy who had a job that people cared about, and maybe there is a standard to live up to that but it’s a hard one, for anyone,” he opined.

Tiki and his ex-wife, who announced their decision to split in April, have four children together.