Outside linebacker Shaq Barrett went undrafted in 2014 before the Denver Broncos signed him as an undrafted free agent. During his time in Denver, Barrett had a chance to play with quarterback Peyton Manning and won a Super Bowl ring after the Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50. Barrett played five seasons with the Broncos before he joined the Buccaneers in 2019 on a one-year deal. In 2019, Barrett led the league in sacks with 19.5, earning him a franchise tag worth $15.8 million the following year. In 2020, Barrett had a chance to play with Tom Brady, who signed a two-year contract with the Buccaneers worth $50 million following a 20-year stay with the New England Patriots.
With Brady’s help, the Buccaneers won their first Lombardi Trophy title in 2002, while Barrett got his second Super Bowl ring. After the 2020 season, Barrett signed a four-year deal worth $72 million with the Buccaneers, including $36 million in guaranteed money.
Barrett feels good playing with Brady
During an interview on the Rich Eisen Show, Barrett was asked about how it’s like for him to play with Brady and Manning in his career. “It feels good because you know Tom’s been in every situation possible. He’s always going to maintain his coolness. He’s always going to make the best play pretty much and put us in the position to succeed. That’s what he’s been doing game in and game out,” Barrett said, per transcription of the interview on the show’s YouTube channel.
Barrett added that having veteran leadership on and off the field is just amazing. “His personality in the locker room is cool,” Barrett said of Brady, adding that he was a rookie during Manning’s stint with the Broncos, so he didn’t have a chance to interact with him. With Brady, Barrett said he had had many chances to interact with Brady, whom he called a cool and funny guy.
Barrett said the only difference between Brady and Manning is TB12’s fire on the field. “I love his fire that he played with on the field. I think that might be the only difference between Peyton and Tom. You can see the fire in Tom on the field, and Peyton is more laid back on the field,” he said. In an earlier interview on the podcast of former NFL player Aqib Talib, Barrett picked Brady over Manning, per a report by Andrew McCarty of The Spun.
Coach to take time with Trask
Aside from working with Brady, Buccaneers quarterbacks coach Clyde Christensen has another mission: to develop rookie signal-caller Kyle Trask, who Tampa Bay took in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Christensen said he likes his new duty as he has more than enough time to develop Trask as an eventual heir apparent for Brady, per Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com.
