Shaquil Barrett, a former Broncos and CSU edge rusher, announces retirement

Shaquil Barrett was one of the Denver Broncos’ undrafted success stories. Then he jumped to Tampa Bay in free agency and became one of the NFL’s best pass rushers, a two-time Pro Bowler who led the league in sacks in 2019 and helped dismantle the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.

And just days before he was set to begin training camp with the Miami Dolphins, the 31-year-old veteran hung up his cleats. Barrett announced his retirement on Instagram on Saturday, citing a desire to spend more time with his family.

“I’m ready to shift my full focus to my wife and kids and helping them realize [their] dreams and catch ‘em,” Barrett said in his Instagram statement. “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.”

For Shaquil Barrett, the nine seasons he spent in the NFL were a dream come true — and an unlikely one at that. His first college program, Nebraska-Omaha, shut down football after his freshman season of 2010. Barrett subsequently tranferrred to Colorado State and notched 18 sacks in three seasons, earning the Mountain West Conference’s defensive-player-of-the-year award.

But Barrett went undrafted. The Broncos signed him, but kept him on the practice squad as a rookie. He made his debut in 2015 and started 6 games while Demarcus Ware dealt with a balky back. Barrett had a habit of making big plays; he notched 5.5 sacks and four forced fumbles in 2015 as the Broncos sprinted to Super Bowl 50.

But despite Barrett’s ability in high-leverage situations, the Broncos were reluctant to give him a full-time starting spot. When Ware retired after 2015, the Broncos penciled in 2015 first-round pick Shane Ray as the starter opposite Von Miller. Only a camp injury to Ray kept Barrett on the first team, where he remained for six games until Ray returned.

The following offseason, the Broncos selected Bradley Chubb with the No. 5 overall pick. The Chubb selection effectively provided a permanent roadblock to Barrett ever becoming a full-time starter in Denver, with Chubb joining Miller, who was in the middle third of the 6-year contract he signed five months after winning Super Bowl 50.

What Denver couldn’t provide Shaquil Barrett, Tampa Bay did. His playing truly took flight in 2019 after he signed with the Bucs in free agency, and Barrett responded with that breakout, 19.5-sack season in 2019.

Barrett never matched that tally in subsequent years, but he was a crucial part of the Bucs’ run to Super Bowl LV. After sacking Aaron Rodgers three times in the NFC Championship Game, he made the Super Bowl miserable for Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, with 4 hits, a sack and 6 total pressures as the Buccaneers won Super Bowl LV, 31-9.

It was the sort of playoff run that called to mind Ware and Miller, two players who helped mentor Barrett during his five seasons with the Broncos.

Tragedy struck Barrett and his family during the course of his 5-season run in Tampa Bay when his daughter, Arrayah, died in an accidental drowning in the pool at Barrett’s Tampa home in April 2023. He returned to play the following season, but the Buccaneers released him March 13 after a season that ended early due to a torn Achilles tendon.

Miami signed Barrett five days after the Buccaneers parted ways with him, but he won’t play a down for the Dolphins, electing to retire and focus on his children.

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