Dolphins OLB Shaq Barrett Applying For Reinstatement After Retiring In July

According to Adam Schefter, Dolphins OLB Shaq Barrett has applied to be reinstated from retirement today. 

He walked away from the game in July to spend more time with his family after signing a one-year deal with the Dolphins this offseason. Barrett’s family lost their young daughter last year in a tragic drowning accident. 

Now it appears Barrett is ready to return to football. The Dolphins still own his contractual rights after placing him on the reserve/retired list. 

Barrett, 31, signed with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado State in 2014. He was waived coming out of the preseason and re-signed to Denver’s practice squad. 

After bouncing back and forth between the practice squad and the active roster, Barrett landed on the active roster at the end of his rookie year. He played out the remainder of his rookie contract.

Barrett signed with the Buccaneers as an unrestricted free agent in 2019 to a one-year, $4 million deal and was franchised in 2020. He re-signed to a four-year, $68 million extension in 2021, but was released this offseason. 

He caught on with the Dolphins on a one-year deal worth up to $9 million but retired in July. 

In 2023, Barrett appeared in 16 games for the Buccaneers and recorded 52 tackles, three tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, one interception returned for a touchdown and two pass deflections.