(Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
Luke Adragna: I know this leads to the question, “Where is Baker Mayfield?” While Mayfield undoubtedly showed the most improvement from last season, Comeback Player of the Year is traditionally awarded to a player who overcomes a serious injury or life-altering event. Barrett did both of those. Barrett suffered a torn Achilles on Oct. 27, 2022, which prematurely ended his 2022 season. As a 30-year-old rusher, one of the most physically demanding positions in football, the injury likely would’ve been career-ending for a majority of players. And while Barrett may have lost a step, he came back nonetheless. On top of the Achilles injury, the Bucs edge rusher tragically lost his 2-year-old daughter Arrayah Barrett to a drowning accident over the summer. Barrett was outspoken about his mental struggles recovering from the loss of his daughter. When the edge rusher scored a game-sealing pick-six against the Chicago Bears in Week 2, Barrett dedicated the play to Arrayah and blew a kiss to the sky.
River Wells: Shaq Barrett won’t be a Buccaneer next year, and while that’s understandable due to his age and his production, that doesn’t make what he came back from any less impressive. Barrett faced a number of hardships in the offseason, from a torn Achilles recovery he had to undergo after 2022 to the loss of his daughter Arrayah Barrett. Through all that, his teammates rallied behind him and he was able to complete the 2023 season. He didn’t look like the Shaq Barrett of old, no, but in the spirit the award, the adversity he overcame to play on the field at his age and with his surrounding circumstances is incredibly admirable.
Jason Kanno: Imagine having the year Shaq Barrett had and still play 16 NFL games. Coming back from a torn Achilles at 30 is as tough a mental battle as it is a physical one. Losing a child is simply unthinkable. Somehow Barrett was still a worthy NFL starter and arguably the Bucs most reliable pass rusher off the edge, leading the team with 56 total pressures. His contract makes a return unlikely, but his resilience this season is something Tampa Bay will not soon forget.
