Report: Buccaneers Reunite With Former $68 Million All-Pro LB

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers must have been paying attention when Shaquil Barrett said he was thinking about coming out of retirement and specifically named the team he wanted to do it with — them.

Pewter Report’s Scott Reynolds broke the news the Buccaneers and Barrett were headed toward a reunion with an anticipated signing on December 28 after Barrett cleared waivers following his release from the Miami Dolphins and following his retirement from professional football in July.

From Pewter Report’s official X account: “Shaq Barrett Is Back With The Bucs Pewter Report is reporting that the Bucs will be re-signing OLB Shaq Barrett on Saturday morning to help with the team’s pass rush as Tampa Bay makes a playoff push, writes Scott Reynolds.”

The Buccaneers are currently 8-7 with 2 games left and just outside of the NFC Playoff picture — they would almost certainly need wins in their final 2 regular season games against the Carolina Panthers in Week 17 and New Orleans Saints in Week 18 to grab one of the NFC’s 7 postseason spots.

Barrett Said He Wanted to Return To Tampa Bay

Appearing on the “Up & Adams Show” with host Kay Adams on Aug. 29, Barrett said he would consider coming out of retirement to play for the Buccaneers and no one else.

Barrett played five seasons for the Buccaneers and was released in March 2024. The same day he was released, Barrett signed a 1-year, $7 million contract with the Miami Dolphins. In a surprise move, Barrett announced his retirement on July 22, just days before he was to report to training camp.

“There’s one team I would come out of retirement for, and that’s it,” Barrett said. “… I’m happily retired, but if something was to happen … if the perfect scenario was to happen and I wouldn’t do it for any other team. I just have a lot of history (with Tampa Bay) and everything that happened with my daughter and how they came through for my family … I told my wife I’d take pay cuts or anything for Tampa because of what they did for my family. Tampa has a special place in my heart.”

In April 2023, Barrett’s 2-year-old daughter, Arrayah, died after drowning in the pool at the family’s home in South Tampa.

From Undrafted to One of NFL’s Elite Players

Barrett started his college career at Nebraska-Omaha then transferred to Colorado State after Nebraska-Omaha disbanded its football program in 2010. He was named the Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2013 after he finished the season with 12.0 sacks and 20.5 tackles for loss.

Barrett spent 2014 on the Broncos’ practice squad and active roster but didn’t play any games as an undrafted free agent then made the opening day roster and started 6 games in 2015, including a Super Bowl win over the Carolina Panthers.

Barrett signed a 1-year, $5 million contract with the Buccaneers in 2019 and put together one of the greatest seasons for a pass rusher in NFL history when he led the league with 19.5 sacks on the way to earning NFL All-Pro honors for the only time in his career.

Barrett played on the franchise tag for Tampa Bay in 2020 and helped lead the team to a Super Bowl win. He signed a 4-year, $68 million contract with the Buccaneers in March 2021. Barrett, who turned 32 years old in November, has 59 career sacks and 22 forced fumbles, along with Tampa Bay franchise records for single-season sacks, single-game sacks (4) and single-game forced fumbles (2).