2-Time Super Bowl Champ Ditches Jets Last Second, Signs With Rival

Getty Veteran pass rusher Shaq Barrett reacting during pre-game ahead of an NFL contest.

The New York Jets were this close to acquiring a two-time Super Bowl champ this offseason.

Veteran pass rusher Shaq Barrett revealed on “The Zach Gelb Show” on CBS Sports Radio that “it was New York all the way” in free agency until the very last second when he signed with the Miami Dolphins.

“They [Miami] just came out of left field for real,” Barrett admitted.

Barrett Added Insult to Injury for Jets Fans

Not only did Barrett not sign with the Jets, but he also threw some shade at them during the interview.

“I loved the prospect of going to New York but the Dolphins are just more established as a team. They [are] more proven at this point and they got some good guys in the pass rush room. So I was looking forward to partnering up with those guys and no state tax that helps out a lot,” Barrett explained to Zach Gelb.

There is no doubt that Miami has had more recent success than the Jets. The Dolphins have had four straight above .500 regular seasons, the last two of those under head coach Mike McDaniel.

Although when it comes to postseason success or lack thereof the Dolphins reign supreme. Miami currently owns the longest drought in the NFL without a playoff win. The last time the Dolphins won a playoff game was back during the 2000 season.

Since their last playoff win, the Dolphins are 0-6 over the last 24 years in the postseason. Interestingly the Jets who currently own the NFL’s longest active playoff drought at 13 seasons and counting have fared much better over that same period.

New York is 6-6 in the playoffs over the last 24 years. That includes back-to-back trips to the AFC Championship game in the 2009 and 2010 seasons respectively.

Jets Interest in Barrett Is Extremely Revealing

Barrett is a big-time NFL player. He won a pair of Super Bowls, one with the Denver Broncos and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

In addition to the team’s success, Barrett also developed into one of the best pass rushers in the league. Across his 10 seasons in the NFL, the former Colorado State product racked up 59 sacks, 22 forced fumbles, 18 pass deflections, and over 125 quarterback hits.

Barrett was voted a second-team All-Pro in 2019 and was elected to the Pro Bowl twice (2019 and 2021).

According to Barrett, the Jets were hot and heavy after him right from the outset of free agency. While New York didn’t land the dynamic pass rusher it reveals that they are sniffing around the market.

The green and white have added plenty of pieces so far this offseason, but none in the pass rush department. New York lost defensive lineman Bryce Huff to the Philadelphia Eagles but they have yet to replace him.

One name the team has seriously explored is veteran pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney. The team brought him in for a visit this week to the facilities.

The Gang Green defense is coming off of an impeccable season, but the Jets don’t seem satisfied with just running it back as is in 2024.