LB Barrett Retires from NFL

In a stunning turn of events, just four months after signing a brand new deal with the Miami Dolphins, Pro Bowl pass rusher Shaquil Barrett has decided this is the end of the road, announcing on social media Saturday that he is retiring from the NFL at 31years-of-age, after nine seasons.

“It’s time for me to hang it up,” Barrett wrote on his social media platform. “It’s been a great ride and I appreciate everything that came with it over the years. I’m ready to shift my full focus to my wife and kids and helping them realize there dreams and catch em. Anyone who caught their dreams before know the work, time and consistency required to reach them. I’m ready to start building them skills up in my kids which will take 100% commitment. Ik (I know) to some it’ll be a surprise but I’ve been thinking about this for a while and the decision has never been more clear then it is now.”

This offseason, Barrett was released by the Buccaneers after a handful of seasons in Tampa Bay. During free agency period, Barrett remained in Florida as he signed with the Dolphins. A few days before the start of Miami’s training camp, Barrett has decided to hang up his cleats.

An undrafted free agent out of Colorado State, Barrett joined the Broncos in 2015. In his rookie season, he took the field in 16 games and contributed to Denver’s Super Bowl 50 run, where they beat the Carolina Panthers, to win his first Lombardi Trophy and Von Miller took home MVP honors. Throughout his tenure in Denver, Barrett started in 15 out of 61 games and got to the quarterback 14 times.

After spending four seasons in the ‘Mile High City’, Barrett found a new home in Tampa Bay. In his first season with the Buccaneers, Barrett stood out in his role in Bruce Arians’ defense. He paced the league with 19.5 sacks, earned his first Pro Bowl nod and was a wrecking ball in the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl LV journey, defeating Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Barrett remained with the Buccaneers for four more seasons and was selected for another Pro Bowl appearance in 2021. However, the following year, he suffered a torn Achilles at the halfway point of the season. In 2023, he made his way back to the gridiron and started 16 games for the Buccaneers. He continued to be a disruptive figure to opposing offenses. The veteran played 62 percent of Tampa Bay’s regular-season snaps, and in the Buccaneers’ two playoff games, he recorded an interception in the Divisional Round loss to Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions.

Barrett ends his career as one of the best linebackers of his generation, with 400 tackles, 125 QB hits, 73 tackles for loss, 59 sacks, 22 forced fumbles and three interceptions in 131 games.

With Barrett’s retirement, the Buccaneers are extremely thin at the linebacker position, with rookies Chop Robinson and Mo Kamara currently the team’s top two healthy edge rushers; veteran Cameron Goode was also placed on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list alongside Jaelen Phillips and Bradley Chubb.