Four months after announcing his retirement from the NFL in July, pass rusher Shaq Barrett now plans to return to the league.
Barrett, 32, has applied to be reinstated, according to multiple reports sourced to the player’s agents, Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey. Assuming the NFL grants Barrett’s reinstatement, he could be back on the field soon.
The Miami Dolphins signed Barrett to a one-year contract in March, so they still hold his rights. If he returns this season, Barrett will be a Dolphin.
The veteran pass rusher entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado State with the Denver Broncos in 2014. He spent five years with the Broncos and helped the team win Super Bowl 50 following the 2015 season.
When Barrett became a free agent in 2019, Denver had Von Miller and Bradley Chubb, so the team let Barrett walk. He ended up with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and won a second title with a Super Bowl LV victory following the 2020 season.
A two-time Pro Bowler, Barrett has totaled 125 quarterback hits and 59 sacks in his career. He last played 16 games with the Bucs in 2023.
