From Undrafted To NFL Royalty
June 5th, 2021
Bucs OLB Shaq Barrett.
There may not be a better story in the NFL, much less the Bucs, than Bucs sack king Shaq Barrett.
The guy came up from very, very humble beginnings and wasn’t even drafted. Still, Shaq busted his tail and paid his dues as a backup. When he got his chance to be a full-time starter with the Bucs, he wasted no time and set a franchise record with 19.5 sacks.
Then last year, though his regular season was OK, he erupted in the playoffs. You can argue Shaq should have been the Super Bowl MVP.
This is good enough for prickly Pete Prisco of CBS Sports to list Shaq among his Top-100 NFL players for 2021, at No. 56.
He saw his sack numbers fall from 19.5 to eight last season, but he still was a big part of what the Tampa Bay defense did. Then in the postseason, he amped it up as the Bucs won it all, getting four sacks in the playoffs.
Shaq then signed a megamoney contract that looks like lottery winnings.
Joe’s happy for Shaq. Few rise to the top the hard way like Shaq did. He never gave up. He earned his keep.
Now, he’s a two-time Super Bowl winner and a crazy-wealthy man. And one of the NFL’s best.
June 5th, 2021 at 12:03 am
Shaq & his family seem like the nicest people on earth too.
June 5th, 2021 at 6:11 am
One of TBBFs favorites…….Shaq loves Tampa, loves the Bucs, loves life….and we love Shaq.
June 5th, 2021 at 7:01 am
Great story, great example on and off the football field!
June 5th, 2021 at 7:35 am
It’s the American dream. He has a beautiful family too. Couldn’t have happened to a better person.
June 5th, 2021 at 7:40 am
You can’t even find a 58 Shaq jersey.
June 5th, 2021 at 7:49 am
I remember when we got him from Denver. I have to admit he sure surprised me.
Glad he is a Buc!
June 5th, 2021 at 8:53 am
What a great story and seems like a great man. He could’ve made more elsewhere but put comfort and happiness ahead of greed. And another HUGE great move by Mr. Light!! I hope more and more fans appreciate what this man has built from the pile of sh$t that he inherited. GO BUCS!!
June 5th, 2021 at 11:46 am
TBBF…yes we do….yes we do!
June 6th, 2021 at 10:17 pm
WOW 👏 😮 👏