Miami Dolphins edge rusher abruptly retires from the NFL

The Miami Dolphins were hit with quite the surprise on Saturday, as 2024 free-agent acquisition and veteran edge rusher Shaquil Barrett has decided to retire from the NFL.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter , Barrett is retiring in order to spend more time with his family, marking the end of his nine-year career that saw him spend stints with the Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers .

Barrett posted to his Instagram to announce the news. His statement was as follows:

"It's time for me to hang it up," Barrett wrote . "It's been a great ride and I appreciate everything that came with it over the years. I'm ready to shift my full focus to my wife and kids and helping them realize their dreams and catch 'em. Anyone who caught their dreams before know the work, time and consistency required to reach them. I'm ready to start building them skills up in my kids which will take 100% commitment. (I know) to some it'll be a surprise but I've been thinking about this for a while and the decision has never been more clear then it is now."

Barrett was a two-time Pro Bowler with the Buccaneers, where he also won a Super Bowl. He also notched a Super Bowl ring during his days with the Denver Broncos.

The Dolphins signed Barrett to a one-year, $7 million deal back in March.