In simply 5 years, Shaq Barrett carved out a particular place in Bucs historical past.
The announcement of his forthcoming launch on Tuesday means he gained’t get a 12 months 6 so as to add on to his legacy in Tampa Bay, however there’s no denying what a formidable legacy it’s.
Signed by the Bucs to a one-year, $4 million deal in 2019, Shaq Barrett was merely in search of an opportunity. Initially an undrafted free agent out of Colorado State, the 6-foot-2, 250-pound go rusher was a rotational piece for the Broncos from 2015-2018. He had 14 sacks over these 4 seasons and earned a Tremendous Bowl ring, then he signed with Tampa Bay for an opportunity to be a full-time starter.
Bucs OLB Shaquil Barrett – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
All he did with that probability is immediately develop into some of the prolific go rushers in franchise historical past.
He finishes his Bucs profession fifth on the crew’s all-time sack leaderboard with 45. Barrett trails solely Gerald McCoy (54.5), Simeon Rice (69.5), Warren Sapp (77.0) and Lee Roy Selmon (78.5).
Not solely that, however Barrett ends his Tampa Bay profession tied for the fourth-most pressured fumbles in crew historical past. He’s in good firm, too, as he’s knotted at 15 pressured fumbles with Sapp and Ronde Barber, a pair of Professional Soccer Corridor of Famers and crew legends.
A sluggish begin to 2022 after which a season-ending Achilles damage started the decline of Barrett’s time in Tampa Bay, however there’s little doubt that he did sufficient between 2019-2021 to cement his spot in franchise historical past.
Shaq Barrett Started His Bucs Profession With A File-Breaking Season
Due to the temporary golden period that the Bucs skilled from 2020-2021 with Tom Brady, it’s typically simple to overlook simply how dominant Shaq Barrett was in 2019. Tampa Bay wasn’t a playoff crew that yr when “Sack Barrett” burst onto the scene.
Bucs OLB Shaq Barrett – Photograph by: Cliff Welch/PR
When it comes to particular person seasons, Todd Bowles stated Tuesday that what Barrett did in 2019 ranks among the many perfect.
“It was the most effective I’ve seen, particularly that I’ve coached,” Bowles stated. “He got here in, hair on hearth. He had some extent to show. He was getting by each offensive sort out within the league.”
After selecting up a sack within the season opener towards the 49ers, Barrett received to Cam Newton thrice in a win over the Panthers the next week. In a loss to the Giants the following week, Barrett sacked Daniel Jones 4 instances.
He received one other sack towards the Rams in Week 4, giving him 9 (NINE!) via the primary month of the season.
One yr earlier, Jason Pierre-Paul completed with 12.5 sacks and have become the primary Buc to achieve double-digit sacks in a single season since Simeon Rice totaled 14.0 in 2005. So via 4 video games of the 2019 season, it was a foregone conclusion that Barrett would make it two years in a row that the crew would have a double-digit sacker.
After getting shut out over the following two video games, Barrett received his tenth sack in a loss to the Titans. Then, his sights had been on the franchise’s single-season sack report of 16.5, held by Tremendous Bowl XXXVII champion, Bucs Ring of Honor inductee and Professional Soccer Corridor of Famer Warren Sapp.
Barrett’s tenth sack began a streak of seven straight weeks with no less than a half-sack. He had a half-sack at Seattle, then notched one towards Arizona and Atlanta earlier than getting two extra at Jacksonville. Sacks towards Indianapolis and Detroit saved the streak going and that meant, with two weeks to go, he was tied with Sapp at 16.5 sacks.
Warren Sapp and Bucs OLB Shaq Barrett – Photograph courtesy of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Houston saved Barrett off the board in Week 16, nonetheless, so all of it got here all the way down to Week 17.
The ultimate recreation of the 2019 season will seemingly all the time be remembered for Jameis Winston’s game- and season-ending pick-six in extra time. However earlier in that recreation, Shaq Barrett made Bucs historical past.
His first sack of the day gave him the single-season report, however he wasn’t accomplished. Barrett received one other, after which one other.
It was his third recreation of the season with three-plus sacks and in the long run, he had 4 multi-sack video games on his option to an NFL-leading 19.5 quarterback captures. Pair that with six pressured fumbles and you’ve got fairly the debut season from a man who was a cut price free agent signing.
It began with a one-year, $4 million deal, and it ended with a record-breaking season. Solely that wasn’t the top, as he actually was simply getting began.
Shaq Barrett Dominated On The Bucs’ Street To Tremendous Bowl LV
Bucs OLB Shaquil Barrett and Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes – Photograph by: USA At this time
After receiving the franchise tag within the 2020 offseason, Shaq Barrett remained in Tampa for a second season. It didn’t begin as scorching because the 2019 marketing campaign did, however his first two sacks of the yr got here in Denver towards his former crew. He wasn’t practically as dominant all through the season as he was the earlier yr, however one other two-sack recreation got here on the proper time. The Bucs had been 7-5 and popping out of their bye week when he received to Kirk Cousins twice in a 26-14 dwelling win over the Vikings.
For the season, Barrett had eight sacks. He could not have reached double digits within the common season, however he was again to his transcendent self through the crew’s playoff run, significantly when it mattered most.
Within the NFC Championship Sport win over the Packers, he totaled three sacks and 7 pressures. Then, within the Bucs’ Tremendous Bowl LV victory over the Chiefs at Raymond James Stadium, he was a part of the protection’s dominance over Patrick Mahomes. Tampa Bay didn’t permit Kansas Metropolis to achieve the top zone, and strain from Barrett was a significant cause why. He was solely credited with one sack, however he had eight pressures within the recreation.
So between the NFC Championship Sport and Tremendous Bowl, Barrett had a mixed 15 pressures – essentially the most by any participant throughout a two-game span that season. Within the span of two seasons, Shaq Barrett had led the NFL in sacks and a two-time Tremendous Bowl champion.
Even In A Robust 2023 Season, Shaq Barrett Acquired A Particular Second
Bucs OLB Shaq Barrett – Photograph by: USA At this time
Shaq Barrett reached 10 sacks once more in 2021, incomes his second Professional Bowl choice in three years. Issues started to say no for him early within the 2022 season earlier than he suffered a torn Achilles in a Week 8 loss to the Ravens. That value him the remainder of the season and
The 2023 season wasn’t the return to type that he and the Bucs had been hoping for both, as he reached simply 4.5 sacks regardless of nonetheless main the crew in pressures. However that doesn’t imply that Barrett didn’t have one final memorable second.
His return to the sector in Week 1 was triumphant in its personal proper, as he fought again not solely from the Achilles damage however from a private tragedy. The Barrett household misplaced their 2-year-old daughter, Arrayah, within the offseason to a drowning accident at dwelling. That made for an emotional return to soccer for Shaq and his household, after which the massive second got here in Week 2 when he and the crew returned to Raymond James Stadium.
With the Bucs main the Bears late however needing to seal the deal, Shaq Barrett learn Justin Fields’ eyes completely, dropping again and making an athletic play to choose off his display go. Since Chicago was backed up towards its personal objective line, Barrett was in place for a pick-six. He took a number of steps towards the top zone after which had his teammates to push him throughout for his first profession landing. Barrett devoted that landing to his late daughter instantly afterwards.
Shaq Barrett Goes Down As One Of The Bucs’ Finest-Ever Free Agent Signings
Bucs OLB Shaq Barrett – Photograph by: USA At this time
Simply because the Bucs have a particular place within the hearts of the Barrett household, Barrett and his household have a particular place within the hearts of the Bucs and their followers. Basic supervisor Jason Licht stated Tuesday in Indianapolis that calling Barrett to let him learn about his launch was a telephone name he dreaded making.
“He’s an unimaginable particular person,” Licht stated. “I might go on and on. Clearly an amazing participant. Calling him, letting him know – [we] let him know on Friday — I didn’t need to make that decision. … He truly calmed me down on the telephone. He was [talking about] how a lot the group has meant to him, what we’ve accomplished for him, when truly it actually ought to’ve been the opposite manner round. Jordanna, his complete household, they’ll all the time be Bucs.”
The particular person Barrett was can be missed in Tampa, and the participant he was helps spherical out his legacy as effectively. With 45 sacks, 15 pressured fumbles, 90 quarterback hits and three interceptions over 70 video games, he cemented himself not solely as considered one of Licht’s best-ever free agent signings, however one of many high free agent signings in Buccaneer historical past.
“He helped our Tremendous Bowl run, he helped us achieve success,” Bowles stated. “He’s a giant a part of the success we’ve had during the last 5 years. That doesn’t go unnoticed.”
It definitely didn’t go unnoticed by the Buccaneer trustworthy, and also you gained’t discover anybody with a very good argument towards Shaq Barrett having a particular place in Bucs historical past.
And perhaps, some day, he’ll even have a particular place within the Bucs Ring of Honor inside Raymond James Stadium.
