Two-time Super Bowl champion and former All-Pro linebacker Shaq Barrett has applied for reinstatement to play immediately after he had previously announced his retirement from the NFL in July, according to ESPN. Once reinstated, Barrett is contractually beholden to the Miami Dolphins, who own his rights.
In the immediate aftermath of this news coming out, it's unclear if Barrett will play for the Dolphins or if he will try to wiggle his way out of his deal with Miami and find a new home somewhere else in the league. If he was not planning on playing for the Dolphins, they would need to release him after signing with the franchise back in March.
Barrett could be a fascinating late-season addition to the Dolphins or any playoff contender for that matter. The former undrafted linebacker out of Colorado State has proven to be a key cog in multiple championship-winning teams. He was a part of the Denver Broncos run to a Super Bowl 50 title in 2015 and helped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win Super Bowl LV.
Meanwhile, Miami is currently in the thick of a playoff push in the AFC. The club has won three straight games and is slotted as the No. 8 seed, just outside the playoff picture. At 5-6, the Dolphins are a game behind the Denver Broncos (7-5) in the loss column.
In his career, Barrett has tallied 400 total tackles and 59 career sacks in 131 regular season games. Last season, he played 16 games for the Buccaneers and had 52 tackles to go with 4.5 sacks.