Star linebacker Shaquil Barrett surprised the NFL world by abruptly announcing his retirement days before he was set to report for training camp for the Miami Dolphins.
The 31-year-old pass rusher is only months removed from signing a one-year deal with the Dolphins in free agency. But earlier this week, Barrett took to social media to say that he’s walking away from the game to spend more time with his family.
“It’s time for me to hang it up,” Barrett wrote. “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 their dreams and catch em.”
The two-time Super Bowl champion acknowledged that the news was sudden. However, he wrote that he’d been considering this move for some time and now wants to devote his full attention to raising his family.
“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,” Barrett wrote. “(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.”
Barrett played nine total seasons in the NFL, starting out as an undrafted free agent before making an impact with the Denver Broncos, winning a Super Bowl in 2015.
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Barrett is coming off a five-year run with the Buccaneers that saw him make the Pro Bowl twice, including a monster 2019 season where he led the NFL with 19.5 sacks. He won his second championship during the Buccaneers’ 2020 Super Bowl run.
The sudden news leaves the Dolphins in a bit of a pinch. Barrett was a high-profile acquisition for Miami and figured to be a key component of their defense, which underwent some major turnover this offseason.
The Dolphins lost multiple significant players in free agency this offseason, including defensive lineman Christian Wilkins as well as linebackers Jerome Baker and Andrew Van Ginkel. Barrett was a proven commodity who could help fill the void as a pass-rushing linebacker.
The Dolphins aren’t necessarily doomed. But they do have some question marks. The team still has two of their top pass rushers in Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips. However, Chubb is coming off a torn ACL while Phillips is working his way back from an Achilles injury.
Miami did add some pass-rushing depth in the draft by taking Penn State’s Chop Robinson with the 21st overall pick. While Robinson is a player with sky-high upside athletically, there are concerns that there will be a learning curve for him in the NFL. Barrett’s retirement now puts pressure on him to contribute right away.
As for Barrett, an NFL team’s depth chart is no longer his concern. He now turns his attention to his family.
