Aqib Talib retired from the NFL after 13 seasons, he announced via social media.
Talib, 34, said in a message posted to Twitter that he turned down a chance to continue his career with the New England Patriots and instead will start a podcast, Call to the Booth.
Talib, a first-round pick in 2008 out of Kansas by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was dealt to the Patriots in 2012, later won a Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos and played for the Los Angeles Rams. He ended last season on injured reserve and never reported to the Miami Dolphins, who traded for Talib and a fifth-round pick from the Rams in 2019. They gave up a seventh-round pick in 2022 as the Rams sought to free cap space.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick called him about “the role of a lifetime,” Talib said Wednesday. But after reviewing New England’s schedule and seeing the likes of Travis Kelce (Chiefs) and George Kittle (49ers), he turned “my big guy, my homie” down, Talib in reference to his reply to Belichick.
“Once that negative thought crossed my mind, I was like, my heart, my competitive edge … like, I ain’t really in it like that no more,” Talib said in the video. “… I just wasn’t feeling it no more, honestly.”
Talib was a five-time Pro Bowl selection and a first-team All-Pro in 2016. He recorded 35 career interceptions and scored 10 touchdowns.
He was serving a four-game suspension in 2012 for taking Adderall without a prescription when Belichick acquired him from Tampa Bay in November.
Talib spent a season and a half with the Patriots and was a Pro Bowl selection in 2013.
He signed with the Broncos as a free agent in 2014 and won the Super Bowl with the 2015 team. The Rams acquired Talib in March 2018 and went to the Super Bowl, where Talib was part of a defense that lost to the Patriots.
(Field Level Media)
