Shaq Barrett Gets Medical Green Light
July 25th, 2023
No big surprise here, but the confirmation feels fantastic.
The NFL Network scrolling ticker made Joe a happy Bucs fan tonight. It shared that Bucs sacks king Shaq Barrett passed his physical and will start training camp with his teammates on Wednesday — rather then being stuck on a physically unable to perform list.
Shaq must be so uplifted. It’s been a long road after tearing his Achilles in October and then heading under the knife to repair it.
He’s now about nine months after surgery, which is a good place to be. Players with torn Achilles often are returning to contact seven or eight months after surgery. So Shaq’s timing fits nicely.
Draft-obsessed fans know all about Ravens edge rusher David Ojabo. He tore his Achilles at his college Pro Day in March of 2022, which tanked his draft stock. He was cleared to practice in October of 2022 (seven months after surgery) and was off injured reserve in early November and later had a strip-sack of Joe Burrow.
Yes, Shaq is 30 years old and Ojabo is 23. Joe doesn’t know if age is a healing factor with an Achilles, but Shaq’s hardly an old man.
Perhaps the Bucs will work Shaq in slowly, but the great news is that they’ll get a complete feel of where Shaq is in his recovery before opening day. That’s a lot better than throwing Shaq into live action to figure out if he can still be effective.
July 25th, 2023 at 1:31 am
Don’t forget about his child that drowned too! God works in mysterious ways and I think he’s going to shine a light on Shaq this season!
July 25th, 2023 at 2:32 am
I couldn’t possibly be happier for that fine, fine man. May GOD bless his soul!
July 25th, 2023 at 2:35 am
Hey, off topic and of low interest.,.how about Conquistadores for the Redskins? It checks a few boxes. Too hard to type???
July 25th, 2023 at 4:04 am
This is the Tampa Bay Bucs we are talking about….Right???
More good news on the eve of camp? Can it be?
Shaq, Golston, and Tucker!
LFG
Go Bucs!
July 25th, 2023 at 4:43 am
What Garro said.
July 25th, 2023 at 5:45 am
Shaq, Gholston, Tucker. They say that good things come in threes. We’ll gladly take it, ’cause we surely can use all the good news we can get.
July 25th, 2023 at 7:45 am
Great news for Shaq! Bad injury to recover from. Hope he can regain his previous high level of play.
July 25th, 2023 at 7:58 am
Wishing him the best. Would truly be inspirational if he had a good season considering what he went through the past year. Honestly, just being out there shows his strength as a person.
July 25th, 2023 at 8:03 am
I’m not expecting much in contribution from Shaq this season. I bet it takes until next season before he is really anything close to the outstanding player he was prior to that injury. He may not ever be the same player. O.J Howard look at him after the same injury. He isn’t running with the same speed at all. Not that O.J wasn’t a bust prior to his achilles tear. Also with the tragic loss of his child from just a few mths ago. This is alot for Shaq to come back from. My prayers are with the Barrett family.
July 25th, 2023 at 9:01 am
I was mid 40’s when I had my Achilles surgically severed and a heel spur removed. My goal was to be cleared to return to sports by six months. After four months, my repaired side was outperforming my healthy side, by five months I was cleared for sports. After six months, I was 100% pain free and full strength. But then again, I’m a freaking beast and I attacked my rehab diligently and daily. One would think that a pro athlete with access to the best specialists and trainers in the world would be even better. I’m not worried about Shaq’s Achilles.
July 25th, 2023 at 9:07 am
It’s going to be so weird seeing Shaq in that #7 jersey, wishing him the best of everything on and off the field this season.
July 25th, 2023 at 9:19 am
Not sure we can say God took your child so now he’s going to ketchup him have a great season .. But good luck to Shaq and hope ( one of Joe’s favorite words) he does ball out this year.
July 25th, 2023 at 9:23 am
Given the horror that befell Shaq this off season he would be the feel good story of the year if he exploded for double digit sacks.
I do not mean to even suggest that anything Shaq could do on the field would EVER replace his prescious 2 year old daughter, but it could at least perhaps help with the grieving process. I know there is NO player on the Bucs’ roster that I shall be rooting hard for than Shaq and it’s not because the Bucs are desperate for pass rushers.
July 25th, 2023 at 9:36 am
^^^
Agreed, I think that family needs something to balance out what I imagine is lingering grief and I’m hoping football can be a convenient distraction for the entire family and those around them.
July 25th, 2023 at 4:31 pm
All of us that talked about injuries knee that Shaq coming back and being productive was way more likely than Jensen coming back and being productive.
Joe got annoyed last time I listed all the guys over 30 that have come back from Achilles injuries.
At least this story acts like it is quite possible.