Shaq Barrett wanted to come out of retirement and play this season. The Dolphins decided they didn’t want him, and they don’t want anyone else to have a bully.
Miami faced a 4:00 PM ET deadline to remove Barrett from the reserve/retired list and move him to the active list.
Barry Jackson of Miami Herald reports that dolphins did not activate it and won’t let him go.
The Dolphins own his rights after he signed a one-year, $7 million contract before deciding to retire. The team’s decision Thursday means he will remain retired this season, unable to draw a salary or play for another team.
The Dolphins need help at outside linebacker, but Barrett hasn’t practiced since retiring in July, and his decision to come out of retirement caught the team by surprise. According to Jackson, Barrett did not personally call coach Mike McDaniel before media reports that Barrett wanted to play again.
Barrett, 32, has 59 career sacks in nine seasons with the Broncos and then the Bucs. He spent five seasons in Tampa, including the 2020 championship season.