A.Q. Shipley Finds Happiness In Retirement

A.Q. Shipley has made Arizona his permanent home after a 12-year NFL playing career, but that’s not where he answered a reporter’s phone call from on Monday morning.

The former center for the Steelers, Eagles, Colts, Ravens, Cardinals and Buccaneers was in Coronado, California, where he spends about a month each summer with his family to escape the desert heat.

Some players struggle in the aftermath of retirement, as their longtime identity is ripped away, often in abrupt fashion. Such was the situation for Shipley, who went from the starting center for the eventual Super Bowl champion Buccaneers in 2020 to permanently sidelined due to a spinal cord injury.

But while contentment can be elusive for some, Shipley seems to have it figured out.

He was immediately offered a coaching spot with the Buccaneers, and stayed on as an assistant in 2021, but soon realized he wanted to spend more time with his family.

These days, he’s found the perfect mixture: a weekly spot on the hugely successful Pat McAfee Show called ‘Inside the Trenches,’ and now a gig with Underdog Fantasy’s ‘Clean Pocket’ alongside Justin Pugh, Colt McCoy and Jay Gruden.

“I love it,” Shipley said. “When my kids get older, I’d like to get even more involved, but this gives me great flexibility now. I have 6, 4 and 2-year-olds, so it gives me great flexibility to be a dad and husband.

“I drop them off at school and then grind tape for six or seven hours while they are at school. And then still be able to pick them up and go to their practice or do all that after school.”

Shipley also trains current NFL offensive linemen like Tampa Bay’s Robert Hainsey, Green Bay’s Jordan Morgan, Chicago’s Teven Jenkins and New England’s Vederian Lowe during the offseason.

“It’s great because the (kids) are in school and I can work out the guys for three or hours per day, and I’m still around mornings and nights,” Shipley said.

Buccaneers GM Jason Licht was on the Pat McAfee show this summer and said that Shipley has such great football knowledge that he could become a head coach one day.

And as Shipley speaks, it’s easy to see a future where he makes the move from commentating to the sidelines.

“It keeps me in the game, and that’s what made me stick in the league as long as I did,” Shipley said. “I studied, I was the smartest guy in the room. So that portion of the game I love. Some guys don’t. I enjoy grinding tape.”

“And it’s been really cool, too, because I’ve been primarily in the Bruce Arians world, so it’s cool to study the Shanahans and the McVays, some of this wide open stuff.”