Shaquil Barrett Says Denver Broncos Can Win Super Bowl LX, Talks Future Of NFL Career: ‘I’m A Firm Believer’

Shaquil Barrett won a Super Bowl with two different teams – Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers – so if there’s anyone that knows what it takes to win it all, it’s the pass-rushing veteran.

Barrett has taken notice of the Broncos, the team where he began his NFL career. Denver is off to a scorching start this season at 10-2 and in second place in the AFC. The Broncos pull off yet another clutch victory in a season full of them, defeating the Washington Commanders in overtime, 27-26.

It was the Broncos’ ninth straight victory and their ninth such by one possession. Barrett won a Super Bowl and helped lead the Broncos to their last playoff win back in 2015 during his rookie season. The 33-year-old says Denver has what it takes to go “’all the way.”

“With the defense that they got, defense wins championships,” says Barrett in a one-on-one interview. “I’m a firm believer. I think they could take it all the way as long as they stay healthy. The offense, they’ll have to step it up when they need to, and get the points on the board when they need to.”

Barrett obviously was a part of one of the greatest defensive units of all time in the 2015 Broncos. That defensive unit tortured the NFL’s MVP in Cam Newton in Super Bowl 50 and prevented him from scoring a touchdown while holding the Panthers to just 10 points.

While there’s no doubt Denver’s unit is top-notch this season, the offensive unit has been inconsistent, much as the 2015 Broncos were. Barrett says that will be key moving forward as the Broncos look to win their first Super Bowl since the two-time Pro Bowler suited up for them a decade ago.

He gives tremendous props to the current defensive unit, comparing it to his 2015 Broncos defensive unit. Barrett – as an undrafted free agent – posted 50 tackles and 5.5 sacks during the regular season.

“I got faith that they’re going to do exactly what they need at the right time on offense and the defense has been lights out – they remind me of the defense when I was there,” says Barrett. “They got pad stretchers all over the place, lockdown cornerbacks, good inside linebacker play. They got the potential to take it all the way.”

Barrett’s best trait during his playing career was obviously his pass-rushing abilities. The 33-year-old led the NFL with 19.5 sacks during the 2019 season, breaking a Buccaneers single-season franchise record. He also posted 10 sacks during his 2021 season, the second time he went to the Pro Bowl.

He has high praise for Nik Bonitto, who clinched his first Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection last season after posting 13.5 sacks. He’s having another stellar season this year with 10.5 sacks and swatted away Marcus Mariota’s game-winning two-point conversion attempt in the Broncos’ win over the Commanders in Week 13.

“I started hearing about him, like two years ago, and he’s just burst on the scene, and then just kept climbing and climbing,” says Barrett of Bonitto. “I love to see that once you get your opportunity, you take advantage of it. That remind me of me – not my play style or anything – just once you get your opportunity, to take advantage of it and just keep keep grinding. That’s what he’s been doing. I love to see people win.”

Shaquil Barrett On Potentially Playing For A Playoff Team This Season: ‘I’m Done’

Barrett is still clearly young enough to play and actually appeared in a couple of games for the Buccaneers last season after briefly retiring. He has since been a free agent and recently had a tryout with the Indianapolis Colts.

However, he says he’s “done” playing football. Barrett says he realized during the workout that he wants to spend more time with his family – he mentions the loss of daughter back in 2023 as a factor – and the “love” of the game wasn’t there.

“It was thinking about it a little bit earlier,” says Barrett of returning to play. “But after I did a workout with the Colts earlier this year, and when I was there, I just really knew I didn’t want to play no more. I was thinking about, if I go to Indy, I gotta leave my family again. I don’t want to leave my family. That’s the reason why I retired in the first place. I didn’t want to be away from my family – all the extra time – after losing my daughter. Just thinking about that, and then I wasn’t even ready to return to football shape.”

Shaq Barrett Partners With Raising Canes To Bring Bikes To Kids In Omaha

Barrett is keeping busy in his post-playing career, recently returning to his old stomping grounds in Omaha, Nebraska while partnering up with Raising Cane’s. Barrett attended high school in Omaha and spent his freshman collegiate season at Nebraska-Omaha. After they eliminated their football program, he transferred to Colorado State, before eventually signing with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent.

“I partnered up with Raising Cane’s, I also partnered with the Boys and Girls Club to give out bikes and biking equipment to kids here,” says Barrett. “They’ve been doing it for six years, and they’ve been growing it every year since, and I have ties to Omaha. Once they gave me the opportunity to come back and get back to Omaha, I definitely jumped on that opportunity, because I had ties here, and I haven’t really done too much in the community here in Omaha because I’m rarely here, like when I was in football and then home in Colorado.

“I had to jump on this opportunity to be able to just bring some smiles to kids, because I love kids wholeheartedly,” Barrett continues to say. “I love when kids can just be kids, and to be able to get bikes and receive bikes and presents like that, I know that it made me feel really, really good as a kid.”