Sad: Former Broncos Super Bowl champion unexpectedly decides to retire.
Shaquil Barrett, who was once a young player for the Denver Broncos during their Super Bowl 50 win, has now retired from football, showing just how many years have passed since that time. Barrett was an undrafted free agent in 2014, but despite not having stellar pre-draft athletic measurables, he had natural gifts as a pass rusher and was the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year in 2013. Although he was cut from the Broncos after his rookie camp, he was eventually signed to their practice squad for most of his rookie year and spent his first five NFL seasons with the team.
Barrett was instrumental in the Broncos’ Super Bowl 50 run in 2015, contributing heavily to the defense with 5.5 sacks, 12 QB hits, and four forced fumbles. However, he was blocked in the lineup in 2016 by the trio of Von Miller, DeMarcus Ware, and Shane Ray and finally had an opening in 2017 to play the most snaps of his NFL career, but it did not result in a long-term gig in Denver. The Broncos did keep Barrett in 2018, but his role diminished substantially after they drafted Bradley Chubb with the 5th overall pick.
After leaving the Broncos in 2019, Barrett signed a modest one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and ended up having one of the best individual pass rush seasons in recent NFL history. He racked up an impressive 19.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, and 37 QB hits, proving that he had the potential to do great things that were not manifested during his time in Denver.
